NORSE   STORIES 


Books  bg  ffir. 

MY  STUDY  FIRE 

MY  STUDY  FIRE,  SECOND  SERIES 

UNDER  THE  TREES  AND  ELSEWHERE 

SHORT  STUDIES  IN  LITERATURE 

ESSAYS  IN  LITERARY  INTERPRETATION 

ESSAYS  ON  NATURE  AND  CULTURE 

BOOKS  AND  CULTURE 

ESSAYS  ON  WORK  AND  CULTURE 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE  SPIRIT 

NORSE  STORIES 

WILLIAM  SHAKESPEARE 

FOREST  OF  ARDEN 

CHILD  OF  NATURE    . 

WORK  AND  DAYS 


NORSE  STORIES  RETOLD 

FROM     THE    EDDAS   *    *    BY 
HAMILTON   WRIGHT   MABIE 


NEW  YORK:  PUBLISHED  BY 
DODD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 
MDCCCCII 


Copyright,  1882 
BY  ROBERTS  BROTHERS 

Copyright,  1900 
BY  DODD,  MEAD  AND  COMPANY 


STACK 
ANNEX 


TO 

J.  T.  M. 


Contents 


Chapter  Page 

I.  THE  MAKING  OF  THE  WORLD  .     .  i 

II.    GODS  AND  MEN 13 

III.  ODIN'S  SEARCH  FOR  WISDOM    .     .  24 

IV.  How  ODIN   BROUGHT  THE  MEAD 

TO  ASGARD 36 

V.  THE  WOOING  OF  GERD  ....  54 

VI.  THE  MAKING  OF  THE  HAMMER     .  69 

VII.  ODIN  IN  GEIRROD'S  PALACE      .     .  84 

VIII.  THE  APPLES  OF  IDUN     ....  99 

IX.  THOR  GOES  A  FISHING     .     .     .     .  113 

X.  How  THOR  FOUND  HIS  HAMMER  .  127 

XI.  How  THOR  FOUGHT  THE   GIANT 

HRUNGNER 141 

XII.  THE  BINDING  OF  THE  WOLF    .     .  156 

XIII.  THOR'S  WONDERFUL  JOURNEY      .  171 

XIV.  THE  DEATH  OF  BALDER       .     .     .  197 
XV.  How  LORE  WAS  PUNISHED    .     .     .  222 

XVI.  THE  TWILIGHT  OF  THE  GODS  .     .  234 

XVII.   THE  NEW  EARTH 244 


VII 


Norse  Stories 
9 

Chapter  I 

The  Making  of  the  World 

EIGHT  hundred  years  ago,  when 
the  galleys  of  the  bold  Norse- 
men were  scudding  through  storm 
and  mist  far  into  the  unknown  west- 
ern seas,  or,  in  the  soft  summer  of 
the  Mediterranean,  riding  at  anchor 
in  the  ports  of  Italy  and  Northern 
Africa,  the  old  stories  of  the  battles 
of  the  gods  and  the  giants  that  had 
been  repeated  for  hundreds  of  years 
by  Norse  firesides  in  the  long  winter 
evening  were  brought  together  by 
some  unknown  man  in  Iceland,  and 
were  known  henceforth  as  the  Elder 


Norse  Stories 

Edda ;  and  a  hundred  years  later 
Snorre  Sturleson  retold  the  same  old 
stories,  with  others  equally  marvel- 
lous, in  the  Younger  Edda.  These 
ancient  books,  which  a  brave  and 
noble  race  carried  in  its  heart  through 
all  its  wide  wanderings  and  conquests, 
take  one  back  to  the  beginning  of 
time,  and  tell  of  the  birth  of  the 
worlds  and  the  coming  of  the  gods 
to  rule  over  them. 

Norway  faces  the  sea  with  a  line 
of  cliffs  so  massive  that  their  founda- 
tions seem  everlasting.  Islands  with- 
out number  rise  out  of  the  tossing 
waves  ;  the  deep,  tranquil  waters  of 
the  fjords,  overhung  with  fir-covered 
mountains,  and  bright  at  night  with 
the  quenchless  splendour  of  the  stars, 
flow  through  narrow  channels  to  the 
outer  ocean ;  and  against  the  sky 
great  mountains  stand  vast  and  im- 

2 


The  Making  of  the  World 

movable,  as  if  from  eternity  to  eter- 
nity. No  Norseman,  steering  his 
adventurous  galley  along  these  rocky 
shores,  seeing,  perhaps,  the  mighty 
rush  of  the  polar  seas  against  the 
North  Cape,  and  hearing  the  long 
.reverberation  of  Thor's  hammer  roll 
from  mountain  peak  to  mountain 
peak,  would  have  believed  that  these 
things  had  not  been  as  he  saw  them 
from  the  very  beginning,  if  the  Ed- 
das,  wiser  than  any  wisdom  of  man, 
had  not  told  him  of  a  time  when 
even  the  gods  had  not  begun  to 
live,  and  in  the  vast  space  where 
no  worlds  hung  and  no  heavens 
shone  there  was  nothing  but  the  un- 
seen spirit  of  the  great  All-father, 
solitary  and  silent  in  the  depths. 

Not  even  the  Eddas  are  able  to 
reveal  his  thoughts  or  to  describe  his 
life  in  the  awful  solitariness  of  a  si- 
3 


Norse  Stories 

lent  universe ;  they  can  only  declare 
that  in  his  own  good  time  he  began 
to  build  the  worlds,  and  far  in  the 
north  Niflheim  rose  out  of  the  depths, 
the  land  of  eternal  winter  wrapped  in 
fogs  and  mists,  and  far  in  the  south 
Muspelheim,  the  land  of  quenchless 
fire,  glowing  with  unspeakable  heat 
and  overhung  with  clouds  and  fiery 
sparks,  in  the  midst  of  whose  blind- 
ing heat  and  light  sat  Surt,  guarding 
the  kingdom  of  fire  with  a  flaming 
sword.  Between  the  land  of  ice  and 
the  land  of  fire  yawned  the  bottom- 
less abyss,  Ginungagap,  black  and 
fathomless,  and  into  it  the  rivers  of 
Niflheim  poured  with  soundless  fury, 
and  as  the  icy  streams  fell  into  the 
darkness  they  congealed  and  hung 
in  great  masses  from  the  northern 
edges  of  the  abyss ;  and  over  the 
awful  chasm  and  the  silent  cataracts 
4 


The  Making  of  the  World 

icy  fogs  gathered   and   bitter  winds 
swept. 

Against  the  whirling  snows  and 
shifting  fogs  of  Niflheim  glowed 
the  wandering  flames  and  floating 
fires  of  Muspelheim,  throwing  broad 
beams  of  light  far  into  the  sunless 
abyss,  and  sending  a  wide  glow 
through  the  drifting  snow.  Glitter- 
ing sparks  shot  into  the  silent  space 
above  and  floated  far  off  towards 
the  north  like  stars  that  had  wandered 
from  their  courses  ;  and  as  the  icy 
mist  met  the  burning  heat  in  the 
upper  air,  it  hung  motionless  for  a 
brief  moment  and  then  fell  drop  by 
drop  into  the  abyss,  and  there,  out 
of  heat  and  cold,  fire  and  fog,  in 
darkness  and  solitude,  the  giant  Ymer 
grew  into  life.  To  give  him  food 
the  cow  Audhumbla  was  made,  and 
as  she  stood  nourishing  the  giant 
5 


Norse  Stories 

with  her  milk,  she  licked  the  icy 
stones  which  were  covered  with  salt, 
and  straightway  the  head  of  a  man 
began  to  take  shape,  grew  larger,  and 
on  the  third  day  the  man  stood  up- 
right, fair  of  face  and  mighty  of 
stature ;  and  his  name  was  Bure. 
Now  Bure  had  a  son,  whom  he 
called  Bor,  and  Bor,  in  turn,  became 
the  father  of  Odin,  Vile,  and  Ve,  the 
first  of  the  gods.  The  giant  Ymer 
also  was  the  father  of  many  children 
who  were  frost-giants  and  enemies  of 
the  gods. 

Ymer  grew  to  such  vast  size,  and 
was  so  full  of  evil,  that  Odin,  Vile,  and 
Ve  could  not  live  in  peace  with  him, 
and  at  last  they  fell  upon  him,  and 
slew  him,  and  the  blood  poured  in  such 
torrents  from  his  great  body  that  all 
the  giants,  save  Bergelmer  and  his 
wife,  were  drowned ;  these  two  alone 
6 


The  Making  of  the  World 

escaped  on  a  chest,  and  from  them  the 
whole  race  of  the  frost-giants  sprang. 
The  gods  dragged  Ymer's  body  into 
the  centre  of  the  abyss,  and  there  they 
fashioned  the  world  out  of  it.  They 
wrought  with  divine  beauty  and 
power,  spreading  out  the  great 
plains,  cutting  the  deep  valleys 
through  the  hills,  filling  the  wide 
seas  and  sending  the  waters  far  up 
into  the  deep  fjords  ;  and  over  all 
they  stretched  the  bending  heaven, 
and  north,  south,  east,  and  west  set 
a  dwarf  to  keep  it  in  place ;  and  they 
caught  the  great  sparks  that  floated 
out  of  Muspelheim  and  set  them  in 
the  sky,  until  the  splendour  of  the 
stars  shone  over  the  whole  earth. 
Around  the  world  lay  the  deep  sea, 
an  endless  circle  of  waters,  and  beyond 
it  were  the  dreary  shores  of  Jotun- 
heim,  the  home  of  the  frost-giants. 
7 


Norse  Stories 

To  the  giantess  Night,  and  to  her 
beautiful  son  Day,  whose  father  was 
of  their  own  number,  the  gods  gave 
chariots  and  swift  horses  that  they 
might  ride  through  the  sky  once  in 
every  twenty-four  hours.  Night 
drove  first  behind  the  fleet  Hrim- 
faxe,  and  as  she  ended  her  course  at 
dawn  bedewed  the  waiting  earth  with 
drops  from  his  bit;  Day  flew  swiftly 
after  his  dusky  mother,  the  shining 
mane  of  his  horse,  Skinfaxe,  filling 
the  heavens  with  light.  There  was 
also  one  Mundilfare,  who  had  a 
son  and  daughter  of  such  exceed- 
ing beauty  that  he  called  the  one 
Maane,  or  Moon,  and  the  other 
Sol,  or  Sun ;  and  the  gods  were  so 
angry  at  his  daring  that  they  set  the 
one  to  guide  the  Sun  and  the  other 
the  Moon  in  their  daily  courses 
around  the  world.  So  day  and  night, 
8 


The  Making  of  the  World 

summer   and   winter,  seed-time  and 
harvest,  were  established. 

In  the  very  centre  of  the  earth  rose 
a  lofty  mountain,  and  on  the  top  of 
it  was  the  beautiful  plain  of  Ida, 
overlooking  all  lands  and  seas.  Here 
the  gods  came  when  their  work  was 
done,  and  looked  upon  all  that  they 
had  made  and  saw  that  it  was  fair; 
the  earth,  green  and  fruitful,  blos- 
somed at  their  feet,  and  the  heavens 
bent  over  them  radiant  with  sun  by 
day  and  filled  with  the  soft  splendour 
of  moon  and  stars  by  night.  And 
they  chose  the  plain  of  Ida  for  their 
home,  and  built  the  shining  city  of 
Asgard.  In  the  midst  of  it  stood  a 
hall  of  pure  gold,  whose  walls  were 
circled  with  the  thrones  of  the  twelve 
gods,  and  they  called  it  Gladsheim. 
There  was  a  noble  hall  for  the  god- 
desses also,  and  homes  for  all  the 
9 


Norse  Stories 

gods.  They  made  ready  a  great 
smithy,  and  filled  it  with  all  manner 
of  tools,  anvils,  hammers,  and  tongs, 
with  which  to  forge  the  weapons  that 
were  to  slay  the  giants  and  keep 
the  world  in  order.  From  earth 
to  heaven  they  stretched  Bifrost, 
the  rainbow  bridge,  over  which  they 
passed  and  repassed  in  their  journey- 
ings. 

When  the  work  was  done,  and 
Asgard  shone  like  a  beautiful  cloud 
overhanging  the  world,  there  came  a 
time  so  peaceful  and  happy  that  it 
was  called  the  Age  of  Gold.  The 
gods  had  endless  sport  in  games  of 
skill  and  strength  on  the  plains  of 
Ida,  and  day  and  night  the  fires 
blazed  in  the  smithy,  as,  with  won- 
derful skill,  they  fashioned  all  kinds 
of  curious  things.  There  was  no 
care  nor  sorrow  anywhere;  no  clouds 
10 


The  Making  of  the  World 

darkened  the  sun,  no  blights  fell  on 
the  growing  fields,  no  mighty  tasks 
pressed  on  the  hearts  of  the  gods 
summoning  them  out  of  ease  and 
pleasure  to  great  enterprises  and  aw- 
ful perils.  At  last  the  happy  time 
came  to  an  end,  for  one  day  the 
Norns,  or  fates,  the  three  terrible 
sisters,  Urd,  Verdande,  and  Skuld, 
who  determined  the  course  of  events 
and  shaped  the  lives  of  things,  took 
their  abode  at  the  foot  of  the  tree 
Ygdrasil,  and  henceforth  not  even 
the  gods  were  free  from  care. 

The  earth  was  fruitful,  but  no  one 
tilled  its  field  or  crossed  its  seas ; 
the  shouts  of  children  at  play  and 
the  ringing  voices  of  the  reapers  and 
harvesters  were  never  heard.  So  the 
gods  took  the  earth-mould  and  out 
of  it  they  made  the  dwarfs  and  set 
them  to  work  in  the  veins  of  metal 
ii 


Norse  Stories 

and  in  dark  caverns  under  ground. 
It  happened  also  one  day  that  Odin, 
Hoener,  and  Loder  were  walking 
together  along  the  shore  of  the  sea, 
and  they  came  upon  an  ash  and  an 
elm,  two  beautiful  trees,  straight  and 
symmetrical  and  crowned  with  foliage. 
Odin  looked  at  them  long,  and  a 
great  thought  came  into  his  mind. 

"  Out  of  these  trees,"  he  said  at 
last,  "let  us  make  man  to  fill  the 
earth  and  make  it  fruitful,  and  he 
shall  be  our  child,  and  we  will  care 
for  him." 

And  out  of  the  ash  and  the  elm 
the  first  man  and  woman  were  made, 
and  the  gods  called  the  man  Ask 
and  the  woman  Embla. 


12 


Chapter  II 

Gods  and  Men 

A  GREAT  many  hundreds  of 
years  after  the  creation  of  the 
world,  there  ruled  in  Sweden  a  wise 
king  whose  name  was  Gylfe ;  and 
the  wisdom  of  this  king,  like  all  wis- 
dom, was  in  part  knowledge  and  in 
larger  part  goodness.  He  knew  how 
to  give  as  well  as  how  to  receive.  A 
wayfaring  woman  once  found  shelter 
at  his  hands,  and,  in  return  told  him 
many  wonderful  stories;  which  so 
pleased  the  king  that  he  gave  her,  as 
a  reward,  as  much  land  as  four  oxen 
could  plough  in  a  day  and  a  night. 
Now  this  woman  was  of  the  race  of 
the  gods  and  her  name  was  Gefjun. 
She  took  four  great  oxen  from  Jotun- 
'3 


Norse  Stories 

helm,  who  were  the  offspring  of  a 
giant,  and  set  them  before  the  plough 
and  drove  them  forth  into  the  land 
which  the  king  had  set  apart  for  her. 
And  the  plough,  being  drawn  by 
giants,  cut  so  deep  into  the  soil,  that 
it  tore  away  a  great  piece  of  land,  and 
carried  it  into  the  sea  to  the  west, 
and  there  left  it.  Gefjun  called  this 
new  country  which  she  had  taken 
from  the  mainland,  Seeland ;  and 
the  place  from  which  the  land  was 
taken  was  filled  by  the  sea  and  formed 
a  lake  which  is  now  called  Logrinn. 

This  was  but  the  beginning  of 
King  Gylfe's  acquaintance  with  the 
gods ;  for  he  was  a  seeker  after  wis- 
dom and  he  who  searches  for  wisdom 
must  go  to  the  gods  to  find  it.  He 
saw  the  wonderful  things  which  the 
gods  did  and  the  marvellous  ways  in 
which  their  will  was  done  in  Asgard, 
14 


Gods  and  Men 

and  upon  the  earth,  and  he  thought 
much  upon  their  power  and  wondered 
whence  it  came.  He  could  not  make 
up  his  mind  whether  these  gods,  of 
whom  he  had  heard  and  whose 
mighty  works  he  saw,  were  powerful 
by  reason  of  the  force  in  themselves, 
or  whether  they  were  made  strong 
by  other  and  greater  gods.  After 
thinking  much  about  these  things 
and  finding  that  no  man  could 
answer  the  questions  which  he  was 
continually  asking  himself,  Gylfe 
assumed  the  form  of  a  very  old  man 
and  made  the  long  journey  to  As- 
gard,  thinking  to  learn  the  secrets 
of  the  gods  without  letting  them 
know  who  he  was. 

The   gods    know   all    things,  and 

they    not    only    knew    that   the   old 

man  who  one  day  came  to  Asgard 

was   Gylfe,  but  they   knew  that  he 

15 


Norse  Stories 

was  to  make  the  journey  long  before 
he  had  so  much  as  thought  of  it. 
They  received  him,  however,  as  if 
they  thought  he  was  what  he  ap- 
peared to  be,  and  he  learned  as  much 
as  he  could  understand ;  which  is  as 
much  as  a  man  ever  learns. 

The  gods  have  often  visited  men, 
but  men  have  rarely  visited  the  gods, 
and  the  King's  coming  to  Asgard 
was  the  beginning  of  a  new  wisdom 
among  men. 

No  sooner  did  he  enter  the  home 
of  the  gods  than  he  found  himself  in 
a  great  hall,  so  high  that  he  could 
hardly  see  over  it.  And  the  roof  of 
this  hall  was  thatched  with  shields  of 
gold  in  place  of  shingles: 

Thinking  thatchers 
Thatched  the  roof; 
The  beams  of  the  burg 
Beamed  with  gold. 
16 


Gods  and  Men 

When  Gylfe  came  to  the  door  of 
this  great  hall  he  saw  a  man  playing 
with  swords  with  such  wonderful 
quickness  and  skill  that  he  kept 
seven  flashing  in  the  air  at  one  time. 
When  this  player  with  swords  asked 
his  name,  the  king  speaking  as  an 
old  man,  answered  that  he  was 
Ganglere,  or  the  Walker,  that  he 
had  come  a  long  distance  and  that 
he  begged  a  lodging  for  the  night; 
and  he  asked,  as  if  it  were  a  very 
unimportant  matter,  who  owned 
the  hall.  The  man,  who  was  a  god 
in  disguise,  replied  that  it  belonged 
to  their  king  and  that  he  would  take 
Ganglere  to  him. 

"You  may  ask  him  his  name 
yourself  when  you  see  him,"  he 
added. 

Then  the  man   led  the  way  into 

the   hall   and   no  sooner  were   they 
2  I7 


Norse  Stories 

within  its  walls  than  the  doors  were 
shut.  There  were  many  rooms 
under  the  shining  roof  and  every 
room  seemed  to  be  full  of  people, 
some  of  whom  were  playing  games, 
and  some  were  drinking  out  of  great 
horns  or  cups,  and  some  were  right- 
ing with  different  kinds  of  weapons; 
and  Gylfe  did  not  understand  half  of 
the  things  he  saw.  He  was  not  at  all 
frightened  by  his  ignorance,  however, 
and  he  said  to  himself: 

Gates  all, 

Before  in  you  go, 
You  must  examine  well  ; 

For  you  cannot  know 
Where  enemies  sit 

In  the  house  before  you. 

When    Gylfe    had    looked    about 
him    he    saw  three  seats   or  thrones 
and  upon  each  of  these  a  man  sat 
18 


Gods  and  Men 

high  above  the  throng  which  played 
and  drank  and  fought. 

"  What  are  the  names  of  these 
kings  ? "  he  asked.  And  the  man 
who  led  him  into  the  hall  answered 
that  he  who  sat  on  the  lowest 
of  the  three  thrones  was  the  king 
and  was  called  Har,  and  that  he  who 
sat  on  the  throne  next  above  him 
was  called  Jafnhar,  and  he  who 
sat  on  the  highest  throne  was  called 
Thride.  Now  these  three  gods  were 
as  many  different  forms  of  Odin, 
and  Gylfe  was  really  seeing  one  god 
when  he  seemed  to  be  seeing  three. 

Then  Har,  or  Odin,  spoke  in  a 
deep  and  wonderful  tone  and  asked 
Gylfe  who  he  was,  and  why  he  had 
come  there,  and  bade  him  welcome 
by  inviting  him  to  eat  and  drink  as 
much  and  often  as  he  chose.  But 
Gylfe  was  so  bent  upon  learning  the 
19 


Norse  Stories 

secrets  of  the  gods  that  he  did  not 
think  of  food  or  drink,  nor  did  he 
stop  to  answer  Har's  questions.  He 
replied  boldly  that  he  wanted  to  find 
a  wise  man  if  there  were  one.  Then 
Har  answered  him,  as  the  gods  often 
answer  men,  in  words  which  were  so 
full  of  meaning  that  he  did  not  under- 
stand them  until  long  afterwards  : 

"  You  shall  not  go  from  this  place 
unharmed  unless  you  go  wiser  than 
you  came." 

It  is  dangerous  to  seek  the  gods, 
unless  we  profit  by  what  they  tell  us; 
for  it  is  better  to  be  ignorant  than  to 
possess  knowledge  and  not  live  by  it. 

Then  Gylfe  stood  boldly  before 
Odin,  —  a  man  standing  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  and  seeking  for  knowl- 
edge, —  and  asked  many  and  deep 
questions  about  the  gods  and  their 
ways  and  power ;  and  about  the 
20 


Gods  and  Men 

giants,  and  their  homes  ;  and  about 
the  making  of  the  world  and  the  crea- 
tion of  man  ;  and  about  the  sun  and 
moon  and  stars  ;  and  about  the  sea- 
sons and  the  wind  and  fire.  And 
Odin  answered  his  questions  and  told 
,him  the  things  which  men  are  eager 
to  know,  but  cannot  learn  unless 
the  gods  teach  them. 

When  Odin  had  told  Gylfe  all 
that  a  man  could  understand  of  these 
deep  mysteries  he  refused  to  answer 
any  more  questions  and  bade  the 
questioner  make  the  best  use  of  what 
had  been  told  him,  and  when  Odin 
had  spoken  these  words  Gylfe  heard 
a  great  noise  and  found  himself  stand- 
ing alone  in  a  great  plain,  and  the 
hall  and  Asgard  had  vanished  utterly. 
Then,  filled  with  wonder  by  all  he 
had  heard  and  seen,  he  went  home  to 
his  own  kingdom,  and  told  of  the 

21 


Norse  Stories 

marvellous  things  which  had  befallen 
him  on  his  journey  to  the  home  of 
the  gods  ;  and  what  he  said  was  re- 
membered by  those  who  heard  the 
wonderful  stories  and  told  again  to 
their  children  and  their  children's 
children  to  the  latest  generations. 

Now  Gylfe  was  not  the  only  man 
who  talked  with  the  gods  ;  for  -^Eger, 
who  lived  on  the  island  called  Hler's 
Isle  and  was  also  a  man  of  great  wis- 
dom, made  the  journey  to  Asgard 
and  the  gods  knew  of  his  coming  be- 
fore he  came  and  prepared  a  great 
feast  for  him.  When  the  feast  began 
Odin  had  swords  brought  into  the 
hall  and  these  swords  were  of  such 
brightness  that  they  lighted  the  hall 
without  the  aid  of  fire  or  lamps ; 
and  the  hall  was  hung  with  glittering 
shields.  The  gods  sat  on  their  thrones 
and  ate  and  drank  with  j'Eger,  and 

22 


Gods  and  Men 

Brage  told  him  strange  and  wonder- 
ful tales  of  the  things  which  had  be- 
fallen the  gods. 

And  this  is  the  way  in  which  men 
came  to  know  the  stories  which  are 
told  in  this  book. 


Chapter  III 

Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

THE  wonderful  ash-tree,  Ygdra- 
sil,  made  a  far-spreading  shade 
against  the  fierce  heat  of  the  sun  in 
summer,  and  a  stronghold  against  the 
piercing  winds  of  winter.  No  man 
could  remember  when  it  had  been 
young.  Little  children  played  under 
its  branches,  grew  to  be  strong  men 
and  women,  lived  to  be  old  and  weary 
and  feeble,  and  died ;  and  yet  the  ash- 
tree  gave  no  signs  of  decay.  Forever 
preserving  its  freshness  and  beauty,  it 
was  to  live  as  long  as  there  were  men  to 
look  upon  it,  animals  to  feed  under  it, 
birds  to  flutter  among  its  branches. 
This  mighty  ash-tree  touched  and 

bound  all  the  worlds  together  in  its 
24 


Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

wonderful  circle  of  life.  One  root 
it  sent  deep  down  into  the  sightless 
depths  of  Hel,  where  the  dead  lived  ; 
another  it  fastened  firmly  in  Jotun- 
heim,  the  dreary  home  of  the  giants  ; 
and  with  the  third  it  grasped  Mid- 
'gard,  the  dwelling-place  of  men.  Ser- 
pents and  all  kinds  of  worms  gnawed 
continually  at  its  roots,  but  were  never 
able  to  destroy  them.  Its  branches 
spread  out  over  the  whole  earth,  and 
the  topmost  boughs  swayed  in  the 
clear  air  of  Asgard  itself,  rustling 
against  the  Valhal,  the  home  of  the 
heroes  who  had  done  great  deeds  or 
died  manfully  in  battle.  At  the  foot 
of  the  tree  sat  the  three  Norns,wonder- 
ful  spinners  of  fate,  who  weave  the 
thread  of  every  man's  life,  making  it 
what  they  will ;  and  a  strange  weav- 
ing it  often  was,  cut  off  when  the  pat- 
tern was  just  beginning  to  show  itself. 
25 


Norse  Stories 

And  every  day  these  Norns  sprinkled 
the  tree  with  the  water  of  life  from 
the  Urdar  fountain,  and  so  kept 
it  forever  green.  In  the  topmost 
branches  sat  an  eagle  singing  a  strange 
song  about  the  birth  of  the  world,  its 
decay  and  death.  Under  its  branches 
browsed  all  manner  of  animals  ;  among 
its  leaves  every  kind  of  bird  made  its 
nest ;  by  day  the  rainbow  hung  under 
it;  at  night  the  pale  northern  light 
flashed  over  it,  and  as  the  winds  swept 
through  its  rustling  branches,  the  mul- 
titudinous murmur  of  the  leaves  told 
strange  stories  of  the  past  and  of  the 
future. 

The  giants  were  older  than  the 
gods,  and  knew  so  much  more  of 
the  past  that  the  gods  had  to  go  to 
them  for  wisdom.  After  a  time,  how- 
ever, the  gods  became  wiser  than  the 
giants,  or  they  would  have  ceased  to 
26 


Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

be  gods,  and  been  destroyed  by  the 
giants,  instead  of  destroying  them. 
When  the  world  was  still  young,  and 
there  were  still  many  things  which 
even  the  gods  had  to  learn,  Odin  was 
so  anxious  to  become  wise  that  he  went 
,to  a  deep  well  whose  waters  touched 
the  roots  of  Ygdrasil  itself.  The 
keeper  of  the  well  was  a  very  old 
and  very  wise  giant,  named  Mimer, 
or  Memory,  and  he  gave  no  draughts 
out  of  the  well  until  he  was  well 
paid ;  for  the  well  contained  the 
water  of  wisdom,  and  whoever  drank 
of  it  became  straightway  wonderfully 
wise. 

"  Give  me  a  draught  of  this  clear 
water,  O  Mimer,"  said  Odin,  when  he 
had  reached  the  well,  and  was  look- 
ing down  into  its  clear,  fathomless 
depths. 

Mimer,  the  keeper,  was  so  old  that 
27 


Norse  Stories 

he  could  remember  everything  that 
had  ever  happened.  His  eyes  were 
clear  and  calm  as  the  stars,  his  face 
was  noble  and  restful,  and  his  long 
white  beard  flowed  down  to  his  waist. 

"  This  water  is  only  to  be  had  at 
a  great  price,"  he  said  in  a  wonder- 
fully sweet,  majestic  tone.  "  I  can- 
not give  to  all  who  ask,  but  only  to 
those  who  are  able  and  willing  to  give 
greatly  in  return,"  he  continued. 

If  Odin  had  been  less  of  a  god  he 
would  have  thought  longer  and  bar- 
gained sharper,  but  he  was  so  godlike 
that  he  cared  more  to  be  wise  and 
great  than  for  anything  else. 

"  I  will  give  you  whatever  you  ask," 
he  answered. 

Mimer  thought  a  moment.  "  You 
must  leave  an  eye,"  he  said  at  last. 

Then  he  drew  up  a  great  draught 
of  the  sparkling  water,  and  Odin 
28 


Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

quenched  his  divine  thirst  and  went 
away  rejoicing,  although  he  had  left 
an  eye  behind.  Even  the  gods  could 
not  be  wise  without  struggle  and  toil 
and  sacrifice. 

So  Odin  became  the  wisest  in  all 
^the  worlds,  and  there  was  no  god  or 
giant  that  could  contend  with  him. 
There  was  one  giant,  however,  who 
was  called  all-wise  in  Jotunheim,  with 
whom  many  had  contended  in  knowl- 
edge, with  curious  and  difficult  ques- 
tions, and  had  always  been  silenced 
and  killed,  for  then,  as  now,  a  man's 
life  often  depended  on  his  wisdom. 
Of  this  giant,  Vafthrudner,  and  his 
wisdom  many  wonderful  stories  were 
told,  and  even  among  the  gods  his 
fame  was  great.  One  day  as  Odin 
sat  thinking  of  many  strange  things 
in  the  worlds,  and  many  mysterious 
things  in  the  future,  he  thought  of 
29 


Norse  Stories 

Vafthrudner.  "  I  will  go  to  Jotun- 
heim  and  measure  wisdom  with  Vaf- 
thrudner, the  wisest  of  the  giants,"  said 
he  to  Frigg,  his  wife,  who  was  sitting 
by. 

Then  Frigg  remembered  those  who 
had  gone  to  contend  with  the  all-wise 
giant  and  had  never  come  back,  and  a 
fear  came  over  her  that  the  same  fate 
might  befall  Odin. 

"  You  are  wisest  in  all  the  worlds, 
All-Father,"  she  said ;  "  why  should 
you  seek  a  treacherous  giant  who 
knows  not  half  so  much  as  you  ?  " 

But  Odin,  who  feared  nothing, 
could  not  be  persuaded  to  stay,  and 
Frigg  sadly  said  good-by  as  he  passed 
out  of  Asgard  on  his  journey  tojotun- 
heim.  His  blue  mantle  set  with  stars 
and  his  golden  helmet  he  left  behind 
him,  and  as  hejourneyed  swiftly  those 
who  met  him  saw  nothing  godlike  in 
3° 


Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

him ;  nor  did    Vafthrudner   when    at 
last  he  stood  at  the  giant's  door. 

"  I  am  a  simple  traveller,  Gangraad 
by  name,"  he  said,  as  Vafthrudner 
came  gruffly  toward  him.  "  I  ask 
your  hospitality  and  a  chance  to  strive 
.with  you  in  wisdom."  The  giant 
laughed  scornfully  at  the  thought  of  a 
man  coming  to  contend  with  him  for 
mastery  in  knowledge. 

"You  shall  have  all  you  want  of 
both,"  he  growled,  "  and  if  you  can- 
not answer  my  questions  you  shall 
never  go  hence  alive." 

He  did  not  even  ask  Odin  to  sit 
down,  but  let  him  stand  in  the  hall, 
despising  him  too  much  to  show  him 
any  courtesy.  After  a  time  he  began 
to  ask  questions. 

"  Tell  me,  if  you  can,  O  wise  Gan- 
graad, the  name  of  the  river  which  di- 
vides Asgard  from  Jotunheim." 
31 


Norse  Stories 

"The  river  Ifing,  which  never 
freezes  over,"  answered  Odin  quickly, 
as  if  it  were  the  easiest  question  in  the 
world ;  and  indeed  it  was  to  him,  al- 
though no  man  could  have  answered 
it.  Vafthrudner  looked  up  in  great 
surprise  when  he  heard  the  reply. 

"  Good,"  he  said,  "  you  have  an- 
swered rightly.  Tell  me,  now,  the 
names  of  the  horses  that  carry  day  and 
night  across  the  sky." 

Before  the  words  were  fairly  spoken 
Odin  replied,  "  Skinfaxe  and  Hrim- 
faxe."  The  giant  could  not  conceal 
his  surprise  that  a  man  should  know 
these  things. 

"  Once  more,"  he  said  quickly,  as 
if  he  were  risking  everything  on  one 
question ;  "  tell  me  the  name  of  the 
plain  where  the  Last  Battle  will  be 
fought." 

This  was  a  terrible  question,  for  the 
32 


Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

Last  Battle  was  still  far  off  in  the  fu- 
ture, and  only  the  gods  and  the  great- 
est of  the  giants  knew  where  and  when 
it  would  come.  Odin  bowed  his  head 
when  he  heard  the  words,  for  to  be 
ready  for  that  battle  was  the  divine 
work  of  his  life,  and  then  said,  slowly 
and  solemnly,  "  On  the  plain  of 
Vigrid,  which  is  one  hundred  miles  on 
each  side." 

Vafthrudner  rose  trembling  from 
his  seat.  He  knew  now  that  Gan- 
graad  was  some  great  one  in  disguise, 
and  that  his  own  life  hung  on  the  an- 
swers he  himself  would  soon  be  forced 
to  make. 

"  Sit  here  beside  me,"  he  said,  "  for, 
whoever  you  are,  worthier  antagonist 
has  never  entered  these  walls." 

Then  they  sat  down  together  in  the 
rude  stone  hall,  the  mightiest  of  the 
gods  and  the  wisest  of  the  giants,  and 
3  33 


Norse  Stories 

the  great  contest  in  wisdom,  with  a 
life  hanging  in  either  scale,  went  on 
between  them.  Wonderful  secrets 
of  the  time  when  no  man  was  and  the 
time  when  no  man  will  be,  those  silent 
walls  listened  to  as  Vafthrudner  asked 
Odin  one  deep  question  after  another, 
the  answer  coming  swiftly  and  surely. 

After  a  time  the  giant  could  ask  no 
more,  for  he  had  exhausted  his  wisdom. 

"  It  is  my  turn  now,"  said  Odin, 
and  one  after  another  he  drew  out  from 
Vafthrudner  the  events  of  the  past, 
then  the  wonderful  things  of  the  race 
of  giants,  and  finally  he  began  to  ques- 
tion him  of  that  dim,  mysterious 
future  whose  secrets  only  the  gods 
know;  and  as  he  touched  these  won- 
derful things  Odin's  eyes  began  to 
flash,  and  his  form  to  grow  larger  and 
nobler  until  he  seemed  no  longer  the 
humble  Gangraad,  but  the  mighty  god 
34 


Odin's  Search  for  Wisdom 

he  was,  and  Vafthrudner  trembled  as 
he  felt  the  coming  doom  nearing  him 
with  every  question. 

So  hours  went  by,  until  at  last  Odin 
paused  in  his  swift  questioning, 
stooped  down  and  asked  the  giant, 
"  What  did  Odin  whisper  in  the  ear  of 
Balder  as  he  ascended  the  funeral 
pile  ? " 

Only  Odin  himself  could  answer 
this  question,  and  Vafthrudner  re- 
plied humbly  and  with  awe,  "  Who 
but  thyself,  All-father,  knoweth  the 
words  thou  didst  say  to  thy  son  in  the 
days  of  old  ?  I  have  brought  my 
doom  upon  myself,  for  in  my  ignor- 
ance I  have  contended  with  wisdom  it- 
self. Thou  art  ever  the  wisest  of  all." 

So  Odin  conquered,  and  Wisdom 
was  victorious,  as  she  always  has 
been  even  when  she  has  contended 
with  giants. 

35 


Chapter    IV 

How  Odin  brought  the  Mead 
to  Asgard 

BESIDES  the  gods  who  lived  in 
Asgard  and  ruled  over  Mid- 
gard,  the  world  of  men,  there  were 
the  Vans,  who  ruled  the  seas  and 
the  air.  The  greatest  of  these  was 
Njord,  who  kept  the  winds  in  the 
hollow  of  his  hand  and  vexed  the 
seas  with  storms  or  spread  over  them 
the  peace  of  a  great  calm.  His  son 
Frey  sent  rain  and  sunshine  upon 
the  earth  and  cared  for  the  harvests, 
while  his  daughter  Freyja  was  so  full 
of  love  that  she  made  the  whole 
world  beautiful  with  tenderness,  and 
filled  the  hearts  of  men  with  the 
sweetest  joys  they  ever  knew. 
36 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

It  happened  almost  at  the  begin- 
ning that  the  gods  and  the  Vans 
went  to  war  with  each  other,  and 
long  and  fierce  was  the  struggle  be- 
tween them.  When  peace  was  made 
at  last,  Njord,  Frey,  and  Freyja 
found  homes  for  themselves  in  As- 
gard,  and  henceforth  they  were  all  as 
one  family. 

While  the  council  at  which  peace 
was  made  was  being  held,  a  great  jar 
stood  in  the  open  space  between  the 
two  parties,  and  when  the  meeting 
was  over  the  gods  were  so  glad  to  be 
rid  of  the  troublesome  war  that  they 
resolved  to  create  something  that 
should  always  remind  them  of  the 
council.  So  they  took  the  great  jar 
and  out  of  it  they  moulded  the  form 
of  a  man,  and  called  him  Kvaser. 

Kvaser  was  grown  up  when  he  was 
born,  and  a  wonderful  man  he  was 
37 


Norse  Stories 

too.  In  all  the  world  there  was  no- 
body so  wise  as  he ;  ask  him  any 
question,  and  he  could  answer  it. 
He  knew  how  the  gods  lived,  how 
the  world  was  made,  and  what  sort 
of  places  heaven  and  hell  were. 
Kvaser  was  good,  too,  as  all  really 
wise  men  are.  He  was  a  great  trav- 
eller, always  going  from  place  to 
place,  and  always  welcome,  because 
wherever  he  went  he  made  men  wiser 
and  better.  People  sometimes  think 
poets  rather  useless  sort  of  men ;  but 
that  was  not  the  opinion  of  the  gods, 
for  when  they  made  the  first  poet 
they  made  the  very  best  man  they 
could  think  of. 

But  poets  cannot  keep  out  of 
trouble  any  easier  than  other  men, 
and  sometimes  not  half  so  well. 
One  night  as  Kvaser  was  travelling 
along  through  one  of  those  deep 
38 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

valleys  that  run  down  to  the  sea 
in  that  country,  he  came  to  the 
house  of  two  dwarfs  with  very  queer 
names,  Galar  and  Fjalar.  They 
were  not  only  little  in  size,  but  small 
and  mean  in  nature,  and  like  all 
other  people  of  little  nature,  they 
were  very  envious  and  cruel,  and 
they  hated  Kvaser  because  he  was  so 
much  nobler  than  they.  Galar  had 
a  dark,  ugly  face,  which  looked  still 
uglier  when  he  saw  Kvaser  coming 
towards  the  house. 

"  Fjalar  !  Fjalar !  "  he  called  out, 
"  here  comes  the  wise  man  who  al- 
ways talks  in  rhymes,  and  thinks  he 
knows  so  much  more  than  anybody 
else." 

And   when    Fjalar   saw    the   poet 

walking   across    the   fields,   a    black 

shadow    came    over    his    face   like  a 

thunder-cloud.      "  Galar,"  he   whis- 

39 


Norse  Stories 

pered,  looking  around  to  see  that 
nobody  could  hear,  "we've  got  him 
alone ;  let 's  kill  him,  and  see  how 
much  good  his  wisdom  will  do  him." 
Meanwhile  Kvaser  was  slowly  ap- 
proaching the  house,  and  the  sea, 
as  it  dashed  against  the  rocks,  was 
making  a  song  in  his  mind.  If  you 
had  heard  him  sing  it,  you  would 
have  heard  the  voices  of  the  waves 
as  they  toss  their  white  caps  and 
chase  each  other  foaming  and  roaring 
and  tumbling  on  the  beach.  When 
Kvaser  came  up  to  the  dwarfs  they 
pretended  to  be  very  glad  to  see  him, 
and  told  him  he  was  the  one  person 
above  all  others  they  had  wanted  to 
see,  because  they  had  a  question  they 
had  been  waiting  a  long  time  to  ask 
him.  Kvaser  was  so  noble  himself 
that  he  never  thought  evil  of  any 
one,  and  when  they  asked  him  to 
40 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

go  with  them  into  a  very  dark  and 
lonely  part  of  the  valley,  so  that 
nobody  could  hear  their  talk,  he  had 
no  suspicion  that  they  meant  any 
harm  ;  but  no  sooner  had  they  come 
to  the  place  than  they  struck  him 
down  from  behind.  Having  killed 
him,  they  caught  his  blood  in  two 
jars  and  a  kettle,  and  mixed  it  with 
honey,  and  so  the  wonderful  mead 
was  made.  It  took  not  only  sweet- 
ness but  life  to  make  true  poetry. 

Not  long  after  this  Galar  and  Fja- 
lar  killed  a  giant  named  Gilling,  and 
were  punished  for  it  too ;  for  the 
giant's  son,  Suttung,  when  he  dis- 
covered how  his  father  had  been  put 
to  death,  took  the  dwarfs  out  to  sea 
and  put  them  on  a  little  rocky  island 
where  they  would  certainly  be  drowned 
when  the  tide  came  in,  and  rowed  off 
to  leave  them  ;  but  the  rascals  begged 
41 


Norse  Stories 

so  hard  to  be  taken  off,  that  he  final- 
ly promised  to  let  them  live  if  they 
would  give  him  the  mead.  Then 
Suttung  took  the  mead  home  and  put 
it  in  his  cellar,  and  told  his  daughter 
Gunlad  to  watch  it  day  and  night, 
for  he  knew  what  a  precious  drink  it 
was.  So  the  mead  passed  out  of  the 
dwarfs'  hands  into  the  keeping  of  a 
giant. 

Now  the  gods  were  very  fond  of 
Kvaser,  and  when  a  long  time  had 
passed  without  any  word  from  him, 
they  asked  Galar  and  Fjalar  if  they 
knew  anything  about  him,  and  the 
dwarfs  said  he  had  been  choked  by 
his  own  wisdom ;  but  Odin  knew  that 
this  was  a  false  story.  He  kept  his 
own  counsel,  and  said  nothing  about 
what  he  was  going  to  do,  but  one  day 
the  gods  missed  him,  and  knew  he 
had  gone  on  one  of  his  long  journeys. 
42 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

As  he  walked  along  nobody  took  him 
for  a  god ;  he  looked  like  a  very  hand- 
some labourer,  and  in  fact  that  is  what 
he  really  was.  He  had  pretty  much 
the  whole  world  in  his  charge,  and 
he  had  to  work  very  hard  to  keep  it 
^in  any  kind  of  order.  Words  could 
hardly  describe  the  beautiful  country 
through  which  Odin  took  his  way, — 
its  deep,  quiet  green  valleys,  with 
the  sparkling  cold  streams  rushing 
through  them ;  its  steep  mountains, 
crowned  with  fir  and  pine ;  its  great 
crags  standing  out  into  the  sea ;  and 
its  fjords  breaking  the  coast  into  num- 
berless bays.  Odin  enjoyed  it  all, 
for  the  gods  love  beauty,  but  he  was 
thinking  all  the  time  how  he  should 
get  the  mead  out  of  the  giant's  cellar. 
He  knew  perfectly  well  that  Suttung 
would  never  give  it  up  willingly,  and 
that  he  must  get  it  either  by  force  or  by 
43 


Norse  Stories 

stratagem.  Suttung  was  very  strong, 
and  the  cellar  was  cut  out  of  the  solid 
rock;  and  the  more  Odin  thought 
about  it  the  harder  it  seemed  to  him. 
If  he  had  been  a  man  he  would  have 
given  up,  but  that  was  not  his  way ; 
besides,  he  had  loved  Kvaser,  and  the 
mead  was  his  blood,  and  he  meant  to 
bring  it  to  heaven. 

Now  Suttung  had  a  brother  named 
Bauge,  who  was  a  farmer,  and  one 
afternoon,  as  his  nine  thralls  were 
mowing  in  the  fields,  they  saw  a 
stranger  coming  towards  them.  It 
was  a  very  uncommon  thing  to  see  a 
stranger  in  that  out-of-the-way  place, 
and  the  men  all  stopped  work  to 
watch  him.  He  was  a  farm  labourer 
like  themselves,  but  he  was  very  large 
in  stature,  and  had  a  very  noble  face 
and  manner. 

"A  fine  meadow  of  grass,"  he  said 
44 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

in  a  deep  musical  voice  as  he  joined 
them,  "  but  you  find  it  hard  work ; 
your  scythes  are  dull." 

They  certainly  did  look  tired  and 
overworked. 

"  Hand  me  your  scythes  and  I  will 
whet  them  for  you,"  continued  the 
stranger.  The  thralls  were  very  glad 
to  have  anybody  do  that  for  them, 
so  they  gave  him  their  scythes  with- 
out saying  a  word.  In  a  moment  the 
valley  rang  with  the  quick  strokes  of 
the  stone  on  the  hard  metal,  and  the 
sparks  flew  in  showers  around  them. 
The  men  had  never  seen  such  a 
whetting  of  scythes  before,  and  their 
astonishment  grew  greater  still  when 
they  found  that  the  grass  seemed  to 
fall  like  magic  before  them.  The 
mowing,  which  had  been  so  hard, 
was  now  the  easiest  thing  in  the 
world. 

45 


Norse  Stories 

"  Sell  us  the  whetstone,"  they 
shouted,  crowding  around  the  stranger. 

"  Well,"  said  he  very  coolly,  "  I 
will  sell  it,  but  I  must  have  a  good 
price  for  it." 

Then  each  demanded  it  for  him- 
self, and  while  they  were  quarrel- 
ling as  to  which  should  have  it,  the 
stranger  threw  it  high  into  the  air, 
and  bade  them  fight  for  it,  which 
they  did  so  fiercely  that  each  slew 
his  fellow  with  his  scythe,  and  the 
stranger  was  left  alone  in  the  field. 
He  threw  the  whetstone  away,  walked 
off,  and  as  the  sun  was  going  down, 
came  to  the  giant's  house  and  asked 
if  he  might  stay  all  night.  Bauge 
was  willing,  as  people  were  in  those 
days,  to  give  supper  and  a  bed  to 
the  stranger,  and  asked  him  in. 

After  supper  they  talked  together, 
and  Bauge  told  the  stranger  that  his 
46 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

nine  thralls  had  been  fighting  in  the 
field  and  had  killed  each  other,  and 
that  he  was  in  great  trouble  because 
he  did  not  know  where  to  get  men 
to  do  his  work. 

"  I  '11  do  it,"  said  the  stranger. 
•    "Yes,"  said  Bauge,  "but  you  are 
only  one." 

"That  is  true,"  he  answered,  "but 
try  me  and  I  '11  do  the  work  of  all 
nine." 

Bauge  looked  as  if  he  did  n't  be- 
lieve it,  but  it  was  one  good  man 
gained,  at  least,  and  that  was  some- 
thing. 

"  What  shall  I  pay  you  ? "  con- 
tinued Bauge,  determined  to  finish 
the  bargain  before  the  man  had  time 
to  change  his  mind.  The  stranger 
thought  a  few  moments  as  if  he  were 
uncertain  what  pay  he  wanted. 

"  I  '11  do  the  work,"  he  said  slowly, 
47 


Norse  Stories 

at  last,  "  if  you  will  give  me  a  drink 
of  the  mead  in  your  brother's  cellar." 
Bauge  was  very  much  surprised ;  he 
could  not  understand  how  the  man 
knew  anything  about  the  mead.  He 
was  very  sure,  however,  that  Suttung 
would  not  give  him  a  drop  of  it,  and 
he  thought  it  was  a  good  chance  to 
get  his  work  done  for  nothing. 
"Well,"  said  he,  "  I  can't  promise 
you  that,  for  Suttung  takes  precious 
good  care  of  the  mead,  but  I  '11  do 
what  I  can  to  help  you  get  it." 

So  the  bargain  was  made,  and  the 
next  morning  the  stranger  was  at 
work;  and  all  summer,  early  and 
late,  he  was  in  the  fields  doing  the 
work  of  nine  men.  Bauge  often 
wondered  what  kind  of  a  man  his 
new  farm-hand  was ;  but  so  long  as 
the  work  was  done  he  cared  for 
nothing  more,  and  he  asked  no  ques- 
48 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

tions.  The  stranger  once  said  his 
name  was  Bolverk,  and  that  was  all 
he  ever  said  about  himself.  The 
months  went  by,  winter  came,  the 
work  was  all  done,  and  Bolverk 
demanded  his  pay. 
'  "We'll  go  and  ask  my  brother 
about  it,"  said  Bauge ;  so  they  both 
went  to  Suttung.  Bauge  told  his 
brother  the  bargain  he  had  made 
with  his  workman,  and  asked  for  a 
little  of  the  mead. 

"  No,"  said  Suttung  very  crossly, 
and  looking  suspiciously  at  Bolverk; 
"it's  no  bargain  of  mine,  and  not  a 
drop  shall  you  have." 

Bolverk  seemed  not  at  all  sur- 
prised at  his  ill  fortune,  and  Bauge 
thought  that  he  had  gotten  his  work 
done  for  nothing  ;  but  after  they  had 
gone  a  little  way  together  and  were 
hidden  from  the  house  by  the  trees, 
4  49 


Norse  Stories 

Bolverk  drew  out  an  auger  from 
under  his  clothing. 

"  Bauge,"  said  he,  "  you  promised 
to  help  me  get  that  mead.  I  am 
going  into  Suttung's  cellar  for  it." 

Bauge  smiled  at  the  idea  of  cut- 
ting through  a  thick  rock  and  getting 
into  the  cellar  with  that  auger,  but 
when  it  was  handed  to  him  he  took 
it  without  saying  a  word  and  began 
to  bore.  It  was  an  astonishing  au- 
ger, for  no  sooner  had  he  pressed  it 
against  the  rock  than  it  began  to  fly 
around  with  wonderful  rapidity,  the 
chips  of  stone  fairly  making  a  cloud 
about  him.  Once  he  stopped,  for  he 
was  afraid  he  really  would  get  into 
the  cellar,  and  told  Bolverk  he  had 
bored  through,  but  Bolverk  knew 
that  couldn't  be  true,  because  the 
chips  still  flew  out;  so  he  told  Bauge 
to  go  on.  In  a  little  time  the  au- 
50 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

ger  slipped  through.  Bauge  looked 
around,  but  there  was  no  Bolverk, 
and  while  he  stared  in  every  direction 
a  large  worm  crept  up  the  rock  and 
into  the  hole.  When  Bauge  caught 
sight  of  it  he  thrust  the  auger  hastily 
into  the  hole,  but  Bolverk's  voice 
answered  back  from  the  cellar,  "Too 
late,  Bauge ;  you  need  n't  bore  any 
longer." 

Then  Bauge  suspected  that  a  man 
who  had  done  the  work  of  nine  men 
all  summer,  and  suddenly  changed 
himself  into  a  worm,  must  be  some- 
body more  than  common.  Bolverk 
was  actually  in  Suttung's  house,  but 
how  was  he  to  get  out  again  with  the 
mead? 

Gunlad,  the  young  lady  who  had 
been  charged  by  her  father  to  watch 

O  J 

the  precious    drink    day  and    night, 

was  sitting  quietly  beside  it,  when  she 

5* 


Norse  Stories 

was  suddenly  surprised,  and  not  a 
little  frightened,  by  the  apparition  of 
a  young  and  beautiful  man  standing 
before  her.  What  the  handsome 
young  man  said  to  her  nobody 
knows,  but  he  probably  told  her  he 
was  very  much  exhausted,  and  hinted 
that  she  was  very  lovely;  that  he 
had  never  seen  any  one  he  admired 
so  much  before.  At  any  rate,  he 
persuaded  her  to  let  him  drink  three 
draughts  of  the  mead,  only  three. 
They  were  certainly  the  most  as- 
tonishing draughts  anybody  ever 
heard  of,  for  with  the  first  he 
emptied  one  jar,  with  the  second 
he  emptied  the  other  jar,  and  with 
the  third  he  finished  the  kettle. 

And  now  another  wonderful  change 

took  place.     Bolverk  had  entered  as 

a  worm,  but  no  sooner  had  he  drunk 

the  mead  than  in  an  instant  he  be- 

52 


How  Odin  Brought  the  Mead 

came  an  eagle,  and  before  Gunlad 
knew  what  had  happened,  with 
splendid  wings  outspread  he  was 
rising  upward  in  broad,  easy  flight. 
Through  the  still  air,  faster  and 
faster,  higher  and  higher,  in  wide 
circles  that  swept  far  round  the  sum- 
mits of  the  mountains,  in  swift  ma- 
jestic flight  he  rose  until  the  earth 
had  vanished  out  of  sight,  and  his 
mighty  pinions  beat  against  the  gates 
of  Asgard. 

So  Odin  brought  the  mead  to 
heaven,  where  it  remains  to  this  day, 
and  only  those  whom  the  gods  love 
are  permitted  to  drink  of  it. 


53 


Chapter   V 

The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

FREY  was  busy  enough  in  sum- 
mer, when  the  sunlight  was  to 
fall  warm  and  fruitful  along  the  moun- 
tain ridges  and  deep  into  the  val- 
leys, and  the  gentle  showers  were  to 
be  gathered  far  out  at  sea  and  driven 
by  the  winds  across  the  heavens,  weav- 
ing soft  draperies  of  mist  about  the 
hills,  or  folding  the  landscape  in 
with  blinding  curtains  of  rain  as 
they  passed  ;  for  the  sowing  and  the 
harvesting  and  the  ripening  of  the 
fruit  were  his  to  watch  over  and 
care  for.  But  when  winter  came, 
Frey  was  idle  day  in  and  day  out, 
and  so  it  happened,  in  this  long  dull 
54 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

season,  that  he  was  wandering  rest- 
lessly one  morning  about  Asgard, 
when  he  saw  that  Odin's  throne  was 
empty.  To  sit  upon  it  and  look 
out  over  the  world  was  the  thought 
that  flashed  into  Frey's  mind  and 
out  again,  leaving  him  more  idle  and 
restless  than  before.  Neither  man 
nor  god,  save  Odin,  had  dared  to  sit 
in  that  awful  seat,  from  which  noth- 
ing was  hidden ;  but  when  one  has 
nothing  to  do,  it  is  easy  to  do  wrong. 
Frey  wandered  about  a  little  longer, 
and  then  boldly  mounted  the  steps 
and  sat  down  on  the  throne  of  the 
world. 

What  a  wonderful  view  it  was ! 
There  lay  Asgard  beautiful  in  the 
morning  light ;  there  were  the  rol- 
ling clouds  like  great  waves  in  the 
clear  heaven  ;  there  was  the  world 
with  its  steep  mountains  and  tossing 
55 


Norse  Stories 

seas ;  and  there  was  Jotunheim,  the 
home  of  the  giants,  gloomy  and  for- 
bidding,—  great  black  cliffs  standing 
along  the  coast  like  grim  sentinels. 
Frey  looked  long  and  earnestly  at 
this  dreary  place  where  the  enemies 
of  the  gods  lived,  hating  the  sun- 
shine and  the  summer,  and  always 
plotting  to  bring  back  winter  and 
barrenness  to  the  earth  ;  and  as  he 
looked  he  saw  a  massive  house 
standing  alone  amid  the  hills.  Dark 
shadows  lay  across  the  gloomy  land- 
scape, cold  winds  swept  over  the 
stony  valleys,  and  not  one  bright  or 
beautiful  thing  was  visible  in  all  the 
country  round.  In  a  moment,  how- 
ever, a  figure  moved  out  of  the  shad- 
ows, and  a  maiden  walked  slowly  to 
the  desolate  house,  mounted  the 
steps,  paused  a  moment  at  the  door, 
and  then  raised  her  arms  to  loosen 
56 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

the  latch.  Straightway  a  wonder- 
ful warmth  and  light  stole  over  the 
hills.  As  she  stood  with  uplifted 
arms  she  was  so  beautiful  that  earth 
and  air  were  flooded  with  her  loveli- 
ness, and  even  the  heavens  were 
radiant.  When  she  opened  the  door 
and  closed  it  behind  her  the  shadows 
deepened  among  the  hills,  and  Frey's 
heart  was  fast  bound  among  the 
rocks  of  Jotunheim.  He  had  been 
punished  for  sitting  in  the  seat  of 
Odin. 

For  days  Frey  neither  ate,  slept, 
nor  spoke.  He  wandered  about, 
silent  and  gloomy  as  a  cloud,  and  no 
one  dared  ask  him  why  he  was 
so  sorrowful.  Njord,  Frey's  father, 
waited  until  he  could  wait  no  longer, 
and  then  with  a  heavy  heart  sent  for 
Skirner,  whom  Frey  loved  as  his 
own  brother,  and  begged  him  to  find 
57 


Norse  Stories 

the  cause  of  all  this  sadness.  Skirner 
came  upon  Frey  walking  about  with 
folded  arms  and  eyes  cast  gloomily 
upon  the  ground. 

"  Why  do  you  stay  here  all  day 
alone?"  he  asked.  "Where  are 
the  light  and  joy  that  have  always 
been  yours  ? " 

"  The  sun  shines  every  day,  but 
not  for  me,"  answered  Frey. 

"  We  were  children  together,"  said 
Skirner,  laying  his  hand  on  Frey's 
arm  ;  "  we  trust  each  other's  truth ; 
tell  me  your  sorrow." 

And  Frey  told  him  how  he  had 
climbed  into  the  seat  of  Odin  and 
looked  upon  Jotunheim  and  seen 
the  beautiful  maiden  like  a  sunbeam 
among  shadows,  like  a  sudden  coming 
of  summer  when  snows  are  deep,  and 
that  he  could  never  be  happy  again 
until  he  had  won  her  for  himself. 
58 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

"  If  that  is  all,  it  is  easily  managed," 
said  Skirner  when  he  had  heard  the 
story.  "  Give  me  your  swiftest  horse 
that  can  ride  through  fire  and  flame, 
and  the  sword  which  swings  itself 
when  giants  are  opposed,  and  I  will 
go  to  Jotunheim." 

Frey  was  too  glad  to  get  the  desire 
of  his  heart  to  delay  about  giving  up 
the  horse  and  the  sword,  and  Skirner 
was  soon  mounted  and  riding  like  the 
wind  on  his  dreary  journey.  Night 
came  on,  the  black  shadows  of  the 
mountains  lay  across  the  fjords  as  he 
passed,  and  one  by  one  the  endless 
procession  of  the  stars  moved  along 
the  summits  of  the  hills  as  if  they 
would  bear  him  company.  All  night 
the  hard  hoofs  rang  on  the  stony  way, 
scattering  showers  of  sparks  at  every 
step.  Faster  and  faster  the  daring 
rider  drove  the  faithful  horse  until 
59 


Norse  Stories 

his  flight  was  like  the  flash  and  roar 
of  the  thunderbolt. 

"  Rush  on,  brave  horse,"  shouted 
Skirner;  "we  shall  return  with  the 
prize  or  the  mighty  giant  will  keep 
us  both." 

At  last  the  long  journey  was  over 
and  the  gloomy  house  reached.  It  was 
the  home  of  the  frost-giant  Gymer, 
and  the  beautiful  maiden  who  stood 
at  the  door  when  Frey  was  on  Odin's 
throne  was  Gerd,  the  giant's  daughter. 
Fierce  dogs  were  chained  about  the 
gate  and  rushed  savagely  upon  Skir- 
ner, barking  furiously  as  if  they 
would  tear  him  limb  from  limb. 
So  he  turned  aside  and  rode  up  to 
a  shepherd  sitting  on  a  mound  near 
by. 

"  Shepherd,  how  shall  I  quiet  these 
dogs  and  speak  with  Gymer's  daugh- 
ter ? "  he  asked. 

60 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

The  shepherd  looked  at  him  with 
wonder  in  his  eyes. 

"Who  are  you,"  he  answered, 
"  and  whence  do  you  come  ?  Are 
you  doomed  to  die,  or  are  you  a  ghost 
already?  Whoever  you  are,  you 
will  never  get  speech  with  Gymer's 
daughter." 

"I  am  not  afraid,"  said  Skirner 
proudly  ;  "  fate  has  already  fixed  the 
day  of  my  death,  and  it  cannot  be 
changed." 

Skirner's  voice  rang  clear  and  strong 
above  the  howling  of  the  dogs,  and 
Gerd  in  her  chamber  heard  the  brave 
words. 

"  What  noise  is  that  ?  "  she  called 
to  her  maidens.  "The  very  earth 
shakes  and  the  foundations  tremble." 

One  of  the  maidens  looked  out  and 
saw  Skirner. 

"A  warrior  stands  without  the 
61 


Norse  Stories 

wall,"  she  answered;  "and  while  he 
waits,  his  horse  eats  the  grass  before 
the  gates." 

"  Bid  him  enter  at  once  and  quaff 
the  pleasant  mead,  for  I  fear  the  slay- 
er of  my  brother  has  come." 

Skirner  needed  no  second  invita- 
tion, and,  quickly  springing  to  the 
ground,  walked  through  the  stony 
halls  and  stood  before  the  beautiful 
Gerd.  She  looked  keenly  at  him  for 
a  moment  and  knew  from  his  bright- 
ness and  beauty  that  he  was  from 
Asgard. 

"Are  you  god,  or  elf  ? "  she  ask- 
ed ;  "  and  why  have  you  come  through 
night  and  flame  to  visit  Gymer's 
halls?" 

"  I  am  neither  elf  nor  god,"  said 

Skirner ;  "  and  yet  I  have  come  to  your 

home  through  night  and  flame.    Frey, 

beautiful  among  the  gods  and  loved 

62 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

of  all  the  earth,  has  seen  your  beauty 
and  can  never  be  happy  again  until 
he  has  won  you  for  himself.  I  bring 
you  eleven  beautiful  apples  if  you  will 
go  back  with  me." 

"  I  will  not  go,"  was  Gerd's  quick 
answer. 

"  This  wonderful  ring,  which  every 
ninth  night  drops  eight  other  rings 
as  rich  as  itself,  shall  be  yours,"  said 
Skirner,  holding  Draupner  in  his  hand 
and  gently  urging  her. 

Gerd  frowned  angrily.  "  I  will  not 
take  your  wondrous  ring.  I  have 
gold  enough  in  my  father's  house." 

"  Then,"  said  Skirner,  casting  aside 
his  gentleness,  "  look  at  this  flashing 
sword  !  If  you  will  not  return  I  will 
strike  your  fair  head  from  your  body." 

Gerd  drew  herself  up  to  her  full 
height  and  answered,  with  flashing 
eyes,  "  I  will  never  be  won  by  force. 
63 


Norse  Stories 

As  for  your  threats,  my  father  will 
meet  you  sword  for  sword." 

"  I  will  quickly  slay  him,"  said 
Skirner  angrily.  But  Gerd  only 
smiled  scornfully ;  she  was  too  cold 
to  be  won  by  gifts  and  too  proud  to 
be  moved  by  threats. 

Skirner's  face  suddenly  changed. 
He  drew  out  a  magic  wand,  and  with 
eyes  fixed  upon  her  and  in  a  solemn 
voice,  as  he  waved  it  over  her,  he 
chanted  an  awful  mystic  curse. 
There  was  breathless  silence  in  the 
room  while  Skirner  with  slow  move- 
ments of  the  wand  wove  about  Gerd 
dread  enchantments  and  breathed  over 
her  the  direful  incantation  :  — 

"  If  you  refuse,  may  you  sit  in  ev- 
erlasting darkness  on  some  dreary 
mountain  top ;  may  terrors  crowd 
round  you  in  awful  shapes  and 
tears  never  cease  to  fall  from  your 
64 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

eyes ;  hated  of  gods  and  men,  may 
you  pass  your  life  in  solitude  and  des- 
olation ! 

"  'T  is  done  !  I  wind  the  mystic  charm  ; 
Thus,  thus  I  trace  the  giant  form  ; 
And  three  fell  characters  below, 
Fury,  and  Lust,  and  Restless  Woe. 
E'en  as  I  wound,  I  straight  unwind 
This  fatal  spell,  if  you  are  kind."  * 

Skirner  stopped,  and  an  awful  still- 
ness followed.  Gerd,  trembling  under 
the  terrible  curse,  stood  quivering 
with  bowed  head  and  clasped  hands. 
Her  pride  could  not  yield,  but  some- 
thing told  her  that  to  live  with  a  god 
was  better  than  to  stay  in  the  home 
of  a  frost-giant.  A  gentle  warmth 
seemed  to  steal  through  and  melt  her 
icy  coldness.  She  raised  her  face, 
and  it  was  so  softened  that  they  hard- 
ly knew  her. 

i  Andersen's  Norse  Mythology 
5  65 


Norse  Stories 

"  I  greet  you,"  she  said,  "  with  this 
brimming  cup  of  mead,  but  I  did 
not  think  that  I  should  ever  love 
a  god." 

When  Skirner  pressed  her  to  go 
back  with  him,  she  promised  to  meet 
Frey  nine  days  hence  and  become  his 
bride  in  the  groves  of  Bar-isle. 

Skirner  was  soon  mounted  and  rid- 
ing homeward  as  fast  as  his  horse 
could  carry  him.  He  was  so  happy 
in  the  thought  of  Frey's  happiness 
that  the  distance  seemed  short,  and  as 
he  drew  near  he  saw  Frey  standing  be- 
fore his  father's  halls,  looking  anxious- 
ly for  his  coming. 

"  She  is  yours  !  "  he  shouted,  urg- 
ing his  horse  into  swifter  flight. 

"  When  ?  "  said  Frey  eagerly. 

"  Nine  days  hence,  in  the  groves  of 
Bar-isle,"   joyfully    replied    Skirner, 
who    expected    to    be    loaded    with 
66 


The  Wooing  of  Gerd 

thanks.  Frey,  however,  was  so  eager 
that  he  forgot  what  night  and  flame 
his  friend  had  ridden  through  for  love 
of  him. 

"  One  day  is  long ;  long,  indeed, 
are  two.  How  shall  I  wait  for 
three  ? "  was  all  the  thanks  Skirner 
got. 

The  days  that  followed  were  long 
enough  for  Frey ;  but  even  the  long- 
est day  comes  to  an  end,  and  at  last 
the  ninth  day  came.  Never  sun 
shone  so  brightly  or  south  wind 
blew  so  musically  as  on  the  morning 
when  at  Bar-isle,  under  the  branches 
of  the  great  trees,  Frey  found  the 
beautiful  Gerd  waiting  for  his  com- 
ing, far  lovelier  than  when  she  stood 
before  her  father's  door.  And  the 
whole  earth  was  happy  in  them,  for 
while  they  stood  with  clasped  hands 
the  skies  grew  soft,  the  trees  put  on 
67 


Norse  Stories 

a  tender  green,  the  flowers  blossomed 
along  the  mountain  side,  the  ripening 
grain  swayed  in  the  fields,  and  sum- 
mer lay  warm  and  fragrant  over  the 
land. 


68 


Chapter  VI 

The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

ONE  day  as  Sif,  Thor's  beautiful 
wife,  was  sitting  in  the  palace 
Bilskirner  in  Thrudvang,  or  thunder- 
world,  she  fell  asleep,  with  her  long 
hair  falling  about  her  shoulders  like 
a  shower  of  gold.  She  made  a  very 
pretty  picture  as  she  sat  there  in  the 
sunlight ;  at  least  Loke  thought  so 
as  he  passed  by  and  saw  her  motion- 
less, like  the  statue  of  a  goddess  in  a 
great  temple,  instead  of  a  living  god- 
dess in  her  own  palace.  Loke  never 
saw  anything  beautiful  without  the 
wish  that  somehow  he  might  spoil 
it ;  and  when  he  noticed  that  Sif  was 
asleep  he  thought  it  was  a  good  time 
to  carry  off  her  golden  hair,  and  so 
69 


Norse  Stories 

rob  her  of  that  of  which  Thor  was 
most  proud.  As  noiselessly  as  he 
could,  and  more  like  a  thief  than  a 
god,  he  stole  into  the  palace,  cut  off 
the  golden  locks  and  carried  them 
away,  without  leaving  one  behind  as 
a  trace  of  his  evil  deed.  When  Sif 
awoke  and  found  her  beautiful  hair 
gone,  she  went  and  hid  herself,  lest 
Thor  coming  home  should  miss  the 
beauty  which  had  always  been  like 
light  to  his  eyes. 

And  presently  Thor  came ;  but 
no  Sif  was  there  to  meet  him,  mak- 
ing him  forget  with  one  proud  look 
from  her  tender  eyes  the  dangers 
and  labours  of  his  life.  She  had 
never  failed  to  greet  him  at  the 
threshold  before ;  and  the  strong 
god's  heart,  which  had  never  beat  a 
second  quicker  at  sight  of  the  great- 
est giant  in  the  world,  grew  faint 
70 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

with  fear  that  in  his  absence  some 
mishap  had  befallen  her.  He  ran 
quickly  from  room  to  room  in  the 
palace,  and  at  last  he  came  upon  Sif, 
hidden  behind  a  pillar,  her  shorn 
head  in  her  hands,  weeping  bitterly. 
In  a  few  broken  words  she  told 
Thor  what  had  happened,  and  as 
she  went  on,  Thor's  wrath  grew 
hotter  and  hotter  until  he  was  ter- 
rible to  behold.  Lightnings  flashed 
out  of  his  deep-set  eyes,  the  palace 
trembled  under  his  angry  strides, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  his  fury  would 
burst  forth  like  some  awful  tempest 
uprooting  and  destroying  everything 
in  its  path. 

"  I  know  who  did  it,"  he  shouted, 
when  Sif  had  ended  her  story.  "  It 
was  that  rascally  Loke,  and  I'll  break 
every  bone  in  his  thievish  body ; " 
and  without  as  much  as  saying  good- 
7' 


Norse  Stories 

by  to  his  sobbing  wife,  he  strode  off 
like  a  thunder-cloud  to  Asgard,  and 
there,  coming  suddenly  upon  Loke, 
he  seized  him  by  the  neck  and  would 
have  killed  him  on  the  spot  had  not 
Loke  confessed  his  deed  and  prom- 
ised to  restore  the  golden  hair. 

"  I  '11  get  the  swarthy  elves  to 
make  a  crown  of  golden  hair  for  Sif 
more  beautiful  than  she  used  to 
wear,"  gasped  Loke,  in  the  iron 
grasp  of  the  angry  Thor ;  and  Thor, 
who  cared  more  for  Sif's  beauty  than 
for  Loke's  punishment,  let  the  thief 
go,  having  bound  him  by  solemn 
pledges  to  fulfil  his  promise  without 
delay. 

Loke  lost  no  time,  but  went  far 
underground  to  the  gloomy  smithy 
of  the  dwarfs,  who  were  called 
Ivald's  sons,  and  who  were  wonder- 
ful workers  in  gold  and  brass. 
72 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

"  Make  me  a  crown  of  golden 
hair,"  said  Loke,  "  that  will  grow 
like  any  other  hair,  and  I  will  give 
you  whatever  you  want  for  your 
work." 

The  bargain  was  quickly  made, 
and  the  busy  little  dwarfs  were  soon 
at  their  task,  and  in  a  little  time  they 
had  done  all  that  Loke  asked,  and 
more  too ;  for  in  addition  to  the 
shining  hair  they  gave  Loke  the 
spear  Gungner  and  the  famous  ship 
Skidbladner. 

With  these  treasures  in  his  arms 
Loke  came  into  Asgard  and  began 
boasting  of  the  wonderful  things  he 
had  brought  from  the  smithy  of 
Ivald's  sons. 

"  Nobody  like  the  sons  of  Ivald 
to  work  in  metal  !  "  he  said.     "  The 
other    dwarfs    are    all     stupid    little 
knaves  compared  with  them." 
73 


Norse  Stories 

Now  it  happened  that  the  dwarf 
Brok  was  standing  by  and  heard 
Loke's  boasting ;  his  brother  Sindre 
was  so  cunning  a  workman  that  most 
of  the  dwarfs  thought  him  by  far  the 
best  in  the  world.  It  made  Brok 
angry,  therefore,  to  hear  the  sons  of 
Ivald  called  the  best  workmen,  and 
he  spoke  up  and  said,  "  My  brother 
Sindre  can  make  more  wonderful 
things  of  gold  and  iron  and  brass 
than  ever  the  sons  of  Ivald  thought 
of." 

"Your  brother  Sindre,"  repeated 
Loke  scornfully.  "  Who  is  your 
brother  Sindre  ?  " 

"  The  best  workman  in  the  world," 
answered  Brok. 

Loke    laughed     loud    and    long. 

"  Go    to     your    wonderful    brother 

Sindre,"  said   he,  "and  tell   him  if 

he    can    make    three   such    precious 

74 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

things  as  the  spear,  the  ship,  and  the 
golden  hair,  he  shall  have  my  head 
for  his  trouble."  And  Loke  laughed 
longer  and  louder  than  before. 

Brok  was  off  to  the  underworld 
before  the  laugh  died  out  of  his  ears, 
determined  to  have  Loke's  head  if 
magic  and  hard  work  could  do  it. 
He  went  straight  to  Sindre  and  told 
him  of  the  wager  he  had  laid  with 
Loke,  and  in  a  little  while  Sindre 
was  hard  at  work  in  his  smithy.  It 
was  a  queer  place  for  such  wonder- 
ful work  as  was  done  in  it,  for  it  was 
nothing  but  a  great  cavern  under- 
ground, with  tools  piled  up  in  little 
heaps  around  its  sides,  and  thick 
darkness  everywhere  when  the  fur- 
nace fire  was  not  sending  its  glow 
out  into  the  blackness.  If  you  had 
looked  in  now,  you  would  have  seen 
a  broad  glare  of  light  streaming  out 
75 


Norse  Stories 

from  the  furnace,  for  Brok  was  blow- 
ing the  bellows  with  all  his  might, 
and  the  coals  were  fairly  blazing  with 
heat.  When  all  was  ready  Sindre 
took  a  swine-skin,  put  it  into  the 
furnace,  and  telling  Brok  to  blow 
the  bellows  until  his  return,  went 
out  of  the  smithy.  Brok  kept 
steadily  at  work,  although  a  gad-fly 
flew  in,  buzzed  noisily  about,  and, 
finally  settling  on  his  hand,  stung 
him  so  that  he  could  hardly  bear 
it.  After  a  while  Sindre  came  back 
and  took  out  of  the  furnace  a  won- 
derful boar  with  bristles  of  pure 
gold. 

Then  Sindre  took  some  gold,  and 
placing  it  in  the  furnace  bade  Brok 
blow  as  if  his  life  depended  on 
it,  and  went  out  a  second  time. 
Brok  had  no  sooner  begun  blowing 
than  the  troublesome  gad-fly  came 
76 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

back,  and  fastening  upon  his  neck 
stung  him  so  fiercely  that  he  could 
hardly  keep  his  hands  away  from  his 
neck ;  but  Brok  was  a  faithful  dwarf, 
who  meant  to  do  his  work  thoroughly 
if  he  died  for  it,  and  so  he  blew 
away  as  if  it  were  the  easiest  thing  in 
the  world,  until  Sindre  came  back 
and  took  a  shining  ring  from  the 
fire.  The  third  time  Sindre  put 
iron  into  the  fire,  and  bidding  Brok 
blow  without  ceasing,  went  out  again. 
No  sooner  had  he  gone  than  the 
gad-fly  flew  in,  and  settling  between 
Brok's  eyes  stung  him  so  sharply 
that  drops  of  blood  ran  down  into 
his  eyes,  and  he  could  not  see  what 
he  was  doing.  He  blew  away  as 
bravely  as  he  could  for  some  time, 
but  the  pain  was  so  keen,  and  he 
was  so  blind,  that  at  last  he  raised 
his  hand  quickly  to  brush  the  fly 
77 


Norse  Stories 

away.  That  very  instant  Sindre 
returned. 

"  You  have  almost  spoiled  it,"  he 
said,  as  he  took  out  of  the  glowing 
furnace  the  wonderful  hammer  Mjol- 
ner.  "  See  how  short  you  have  made 
the  handle  !  But  you  can't  lengthen 
it  now.  So  carry  the  gifts  to  Asgard, 
and  bring  me  Loke's  head." 

Brok  started  off  with  the  golden 
boar,  the  shining  ring,  and  the  terri- 
ble hammer. 

When  he  came  through  the  great 
gate  of  Asgard  the  gods  were  very 
anxious  to  see  the  end  of  this  strange 
contest,  and  taking  their  seats  on 
their  shining  thrones  they  appointed 
Odin,  Thor,  and  Frey  to  judge  be- 
tween Loke  and  Brok,  as  to  which 
had  the  most  wonderful  things. 
Then  Loke  brought  out  the  spear 
Gungner,  which  never  misses  its 
78 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

mark,  and  gave  it  to  Odin ;  and  the 
golden  hair  he  gave  to  Thor,  who 
placed  it  on  Sif's  head,  and  straight- 
way it  began  to  grow  like  any  other 
hair,  and  Sif  was  as  beautiful  as  on 
the  day  when  Loke  saw  her  in 
Thor's  palace,  and  robbed  her  of 
her  tresses ;  and  to  Frey  he  gave 
the  marvellous  ship  Skidbladner, 
which  always  found  a  breeze  to  drive 
it  wherever  its  master  would  go,  no 
matter  how  the  sea  was  running,  nor 
from  what  quarter  the  wind  was 
blowing,  and  which  could  be  folded 
up  and  carried  in  one's  pocket. 
Then  Loke  laughed  scornfully. 

"  Bring  out  the  trinkets  which  that 
wonderful  brother  of  yours  has  made," 
he  said. 

Brok  came  forward,  and  stood  be- 
fore the  wondering  gods  with  his 
treasures. 

79 


Norse  Stones 

<c  This  ring,"  said  he,  handing  it  to 
Odin, "  will  cast  off,  every  ninth  night, 
eight  other  rings  as  pure  and  heavy 
as  itself.  This  boar,"  giving  it  to 
Frey,  "will  run  more  swiftly  in  the 
air,  and  on  the  sea,  by  night  or  by 
day,  than  the  swiftest  horse,  and  no 
night  will  be  so  dark,  no  world  so 
gloomy,  that  the  shining  of  these  bris- 
tles shall  not  make  it  light  as  noon- 
day. And  this  hammer,"  placing 
Mjolner  in  Thor's  strong  hands, 
"  shall  never  fail,  no  matter  how  big 
nor  how  hard  that  which  it  smites 
may  be ;  no  matter  how  far  it  is 
thrown,  it  will  always  return  to  your 
hand ;  you  may  make  it  so  small  that 
it  can  be  hidden  in  your  bosom,  and 
its  only  fault  is  the  shortness  of  its 
handle." 

Thor  swung  it  round  his  head,  and 
lightning  flashed  and  flamed  through 
80 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

Asgard,  deep  peals  of  thunder  rolled 
through  the  sky,  and  mighty  masses 
of  cloud  piled  quickly  up  about  him. 
The  gods  gathered  around,  and 
passed  the  hammer  from  one  to  the 
other,  saying  that  it  would  be  their 
greatest  protection  against  their  ene- 
mies, the  frost-giants,  who  were 
always  trying  to  force  their  way  into 
Asgard,  and  they  declared  that  Brok 
had  won  the  wager.  Brok's  swarthy 
little  face  was  as  bright  as  his  brother's 
furnace  fire,  so  delighted  was  he  to 
have  beaten  the  boastful  Loke.  But 
how  was  he  to  get  his  wager,  now  he 
had  won  it  ?  It  was  no  easy  matter 
to  take  the  head  off  a  god's  shoulders. 
Brok  thought  a  moment.  "  I  will 
take  Loke's  head,"  he  said  finally, 
thinking  some  of  the  other  gods 
might  help  him. 

"  I    will   give   you   whatever   you 
6  81 


Norse  Stones 

want  in  place  of  my  head,"  growled 
Loke,  angry  that  he  was  beaten,  and 
having  no  idea  of  paying  his  wager 
by  losing  his  head. 

"  I  will  have  your  head  or  I  will 
have  nothing,"  answered  the  plucky 
little  dwarf,  determined  not  to  be 
cheated  out  of  his  victory. 

"Well,  then,  take  it,"  shouted 
Loke ;  but  by  the  time  Brok  reached 
the  place  where  he  had  been  stand- 
ing, Loke  was  far  away,  for  he  wore 
shoes  with  which  he  could  run  through 
the  air  or  over  the  water.  Then  Brok 
asked  Thor  to  find  Loke  and  bring 
him  back,  which  Thor  did  promptly, 
for  the  gods  always  saw  to  it  that 
people  kept  their  promises.  When 
Loke  was  brought  back  Brok  wanted 
to  cut  his  head  off  at  once. 

"You  may  cut  off  my  head,  but 
you  have  no  right  to  touch  my  neck," 
82 


The  Making  of  the  Hammer 

said  Loke,  who  was  cunning,  as  well 
as  wicked.  That  was  true,  and  of 
course  the  head  could  not  be  taken 
off  without  touching  the  neck,  so 
Brok  had  to  give  it  up. 

But  he  determined  to  do  something 
to  make  Loke  feel  that  he  had  won 
his  wager,  so  he  took  an  awl  and  a 
thong  and  sewed  his  lips  together 
so  tightly  that  he  could  make  no 
more  boastings. 


Chapter  VII 

Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

IT  was  as  lovely  a  morning  as  ever 
dawned  when  Geirrod  and  Agnar, 
sons  of  old  King  Hraudung,  pushed 
their  boat  out  from  the  rocky  shore 
for  a  day's  fishing.  The  sky  over- 
head was  as  blue  as  Odin's  wonder- 
ful mantle ;  and  the  sea  beneath  them 
as  blue  as  the  sky.  They  could  see 
the  mountain  tops  far  off  behind  them 
and  every  rock  along  the  beach  for 
miles  and  miles  away.  It  was  happi- 
ness just  to  be  out  of  doors  in  such 
weather,  and  as  the  rowers  bent  to  their 
work  there  was  such  strength  and  joy 
in  them  that  the  boat  skimmed  over 
the  water  like  a  living  thing.  When 
84 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

they  were  fairly  out  where  the  wind 
blew  freshly  and  the  waves  danced 
merrily,  they  let  their  lines  into  the  sea 
and  began  to  lay  wagers  on  the  luck. 
Geirrod,  who  was  selfish  and  pushing, 
generally  got  the  best  of  things,  and 
was  very  certain  that  he  would  carry 
home  more  fish  than  Agnar.  But  be- 
fore they  had  talked  much  about  it  they 
were  too  busy  to  talk  at  all.  Such  luck 
befell  them  as  they  had  never  had  be- 
fore. No  sooner  did  the  line  touch 
the  water  than  it  was  travelling  off  in 
the  mouth  of  some  hungry  fish  who 
was  quickly  landed  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat.  All  the  morning  the  boys 
were  so  busy  that  they  did  not  once 
look  at  the  sky,  and  when  the'  sun 
began  to  sink  a  little  toward  the  west 
they  took  no  thought  of  the  dark 
clouds  scudding  along  overhead  nor 
of  the  rising  wind  whistling  over  the 
85 


Norse  Stories 

white  caps.  And  while  they  let  down 
and  drew  up  their  lines  the  sky  grew 
darker  and  darker,  until  not  a  spot 
of  blue  was  to  be  seen  anywhere,  and 
the  wind  rose  higher  and  higher, 
driving  the  sea  in  spray  before  it. 
When  at  last  the  storm  broke  on 
Geirrod  and  Agnar  it  was  too  late  to 
reach  the  shore.  The  waves  ran  so 
high  that  the  boat  was  almost  swamp- 
ed in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  and  the 
next  minute  the  angry  waters  had 
snatched  both  oars  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  rowers  and  flung  them  far  off 
to  leeward.  There  was  nothing  to 
do  but  to  sit  still  and  be  carried  on 
by  wave  and  wind.  The  boys  were 
good  Norsemen,  and  though  they 
were  drenched  to  the  skin,  and  blind- 
ed by  spray,  they  were  cool  and  brave. 
The  roar  of  the  sea  and  the  tempest 
was  sweeter  music  in  their  ears  than 
86 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

the  melody  of  harp-strings  in  their 
father's  palace.  Holding  on  as  best 
they  could  they  watched  the  rushing 
clouds  until  darkness  fell  on  the  sea 
and  they  were  alone  with  the  tempest. 
They  could  not  speak  to  each  other, 
for  the  uproar  of  the  wind  and  the 
waves  drowned  all  other  sounds  ;  they 
could  do  nothing;  they  could  only 
wait ;  and  as  they  waited  the  night 
wore  on.  Suddenly  there  came  a 
sound  they  both  knew,  and  which 
made  even  their  bold  hearts  beat  a 
little  faster, —  the  sound  of  the  break- 
ers. They  strained  their  eyes,  peer- 
ing anxiously  into  the  darkness,  but 
not  a  thing  could  they  see.  They 
were  driven  on  faster  and  faster,  until 
a  mighty  wave  lifted  the  boat  a  mo- 
ment in  mid-air  and  then  flung  it 
broken  and  shattered  on  to  the  rocks. 
How  Geirrod  and  Agnar  got  ashore 
87 


Norse  Stories 

they  could  never  tell.  They  remem- 
bered nothing  but  an  awful  crash,  a 
blinding  rush  of  waters,  and  then, 
coming  slowly  back  to  life  they  found 
themselves  bruised  and  bleeding  on 
the  shore  of  an  island  far  off  the  coast 
they  had  sailed  from.  When  morn- 
ing broke  at  last,  clear  and  cold,  as 
if  the  earth  had  been  made  over  in- 
stead of  torn  to  pieces  in  the  night, 
they  made  their  way  slowly  and  pain- 
fully back  from  the  shore.  They  had 
gone  but  a  little  way  when  they  were 
overjoyed  to  see  a  thin  column  of 
smoke  rising  into  the  clear  air,  and  a 
moment  after  they  were  at  the  door 
of  a  little  farm-house.  The  farmer 
was  very  poor,  for  the  island  was  small 
and  rocky,  but  he  had  a  striking  form, 
and  a  face  more  noble  than  any  the 
boys  had  ever  seen  at  their  father's 
court. 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

"  We  have  been  wrecked  upon 
this  island,"  said  Geirrod,  who  was 
always  the  first  to  speak.  "  Can 
you  give  us  food  ?  " 

The  farmer  looked  at  them  thought- 
fully, as  if  he  saw  a  great  deal  in  their 
faces  that  was  interesting. 

"  Certainly  we  can,"  said  he,  in  a 
deep,  musical  voice.  "  No  man  ever 
went  hungry  from  Grimner's  door. 
Here,  wife,"  turning  back  to  the 
open  door,  "  set  what  you  have 
before  these  young  sailors." 

Geirrod  and  Agnar  had  sat  at 
kings'  tables  all  their  lives,  but  they 
had  never  eaten  at  such  a  feast  as 
the  farmer's  good  wife  spread  for 
them  on  the  plain  table.  Like  her 
husband,  she  was  very  large  of  form 
and  beautiful  of  feature,  and  she 
looked  as  if  she  might  be  the  mother 
of  half  of  the  world,  as  indeed  she 
89 


Norse  Stones 

was,  and  of  the  other  half  too. 
Breakfast  over,  the  boys  told  the 
story  of  their  parentage,  their  fish- 
ing, the  storm  and  the  wreck,  the 
farmer  glancing  at  his  wife,  from 
time  to  time,  as  if  it  greatly  pleased 
him. 

"  Boys,"  said  he  when  the  story 
was  told,  "  the  season  changed  with 
the  storm  which  brought  you  here. 
Winter  has  set  in,  and  you  must 
stay  under  our  roof  until  spring. 
The  house  is  not  very  large,  but  it 
will  keep  us  all,  I  trust." 

The  good  wife  nodded  approval, 
and  the  boys  themselves  were  not 
sorry  to  stay,  so  great  a  fancy  had 
they  already  taken  to  the  pair.  What 
a  winter  that  was !  The  days  were 
so  short  that  they  could  hardly  be 
called  days  at  all.  The  cold  was 
bitter,  the  winds  roared  about  the 
90 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

little  island,  and  the  sea  rushed  upon 
it  as  if  it  meant  to  sweep  the  little 
piece  of  earth  out  of  sight  forever; 
but  the  boys  cared  for  none  of  these 
things.  Agnar  spent  all  his  time 
with  the  farmer's  wife,  and  learned 
to  love  her  as  if  she  were  his  mother ; 
but  Geirrod  never  left  Grimner's 
side  for  an  hour  if  he  could  help  it. 
Never  was  there  such  a  farmer  be- 
fore. He  seemed  to  know  every- 
thing, and  he  was  willing  to  tell  the 
boy  all  he  knew  himself.  He  told 
him  stories  of  the  strong  and  valiant 
Norsemen  who  had  made  perilous 
voyages  and  performed  mighty  deeds 
of  valour ;  he  described  the  wonders 
of  the  heavens  and  the  secrets  of  the 
sea  and  the  mysteries  of  earth ;  he 
even  once  or  twice  spoke  of  the 
gods  themselves,  and  of  Asgard, 
where  they  dwelt  a  glorious  com- 
91 


Norse  Stories 

pany  of  strong  spirits ;  and  when  he 
spoke  of  these  things  his  eyes  flashed 
and  his  form  grew  so  large  that  he 
seemed  to  Geirrod  no  longer  the 
island  farmer,  but  a  god  in  human 
guise.  He  spoke  of  courage  too, 
and  of  honour,  truthfulness  and  hos- 
pitality, until  the  boy's  selfish  heart 
grew  generous  for  a  little  while,  and 
he  wanted  to  do  some  noble  thing 
himself. 

In  such  talks  as  these,  and  with 
short  wanderings  about  the  storm- 
beaten  shores  of  the  island,  the 
winter  passed  quickly  away,  and  be- 
fore the  boys  were  ready  to  go  the 
sky  had  grown  soft  and  the  water 
calm  again.  Grimner  built  a  new 
boat  for  them,  and  one  morning, 
when  all  was  ready,  they  pushed  out, 
with  many  farewells,  from  the  home 
that  had  sheltered  them  so  many 
92 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

months,  and  rowed  swiftly  home- 
ward. Grimner's  last  earnest  word 
to  Geirrod  was,  "  Be  true  and  noble." 
But  Geirrod  was  too  selfish  to  carry 
away  the  great  thoughts  which  the 
farmer  had  given  him ;  the  burning 
words,  the  stories  of  great  deeds  he 
had  listened  to  had  made  him  ambi- 
tious to  be  strong,  but  not  to  be 
good.  No  sooner  were  the  boys 
afloat  than  evil  thoughts  took  pos- 
session of  him  and  held  him  until 
the  boat  touched  shore  on  the  main- 
land, and  then  they  mastered  him 
entirely,  so  that  he  sprang  out  on  to 
the  land  and  gave  the  boat  a  mighty 
lurch  back  into  the  sea,  shouting  to 
Agnar,  "  Go  away  and  may  the  evil 
spirits  seize  you !  " 

Then,  without   looking   back,  he 
hastened  to  the  palace,  where  he  was 
at   once   greeted    as    King,    for    his 
93 


Norse  Stories 

father  was  dead.  Agnar,  after  many 
adventures,  landed  in  a  far-off  part 
of  the  country,  and  ended  by  marry- 
ing a  giantess. 

Years  passed  away,  and  Geirrod 
had  almost  forgotten  the  evil  he  had 
done  his  brother ;  but  the  Fates 
never  let  the  sins  of  men  go  unpun- 
ished. It  happened  one  day  that  as 
Odin,  the  father  of  the  gods  and  of 
men,  and  his  wife  Frigg  were  sitting 
upon  their  throne  overlooking  the 
whole  earth,  they  spoke  of  the  boys 
who  had  been  with  them  on  the 
island;  for  the  farmer  Grimner  and 
his  wife  were  none  other  than  the 
greatest  of  the  gods. 

"  Look  at  Agnar,"  said  Odin, 
"  whom  you  brought  up,  wasting  his 
time  with  a  giantess,  while  my  foster 
son  Geirrod  rules  his  kingdom  right 
royally." 

94 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

Now  although  Frigg  was  a  god- 
dess, she  had  some  weaknesses  like 
the  rest  of  us,  and  she  was  annoyed 
that  her  teaching  had  done  so  little 
for  Agnar,  and  that  Odin  should 
notice  it  too,  so  she  answered,  "  It 's 
all  very  well  to  talk  about  Geirrod's 
reigning  right  royally,  but  he  is  no 
true  King,  for  he  puts  his  guests  to 
torture." 

Odin  was  indignant  that  such  a 
charge  should  be  brought  against  his 
favourite,  and  after  much  dispute  the 
two  laid  a  wager,  and  Odin  said  he 
would  visit  Geirrod  in  disguise  and 
settle  the  matter  himself. 

Now  Geirrod  was  not  really  in- 
hospitable, but  Frigg  sent  word  to 
him  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out  for  a 
dangerous  wizard  who  was  coming 
his  way ;  and  so  it  happened  that 
one  morning  when  a  very  old  man, 
95 


Norse  Stories 

in  a  long  robe  of  grey  fur,  stopped 
at  the  door  and  asked  shelter,  the 
King  had  him  brought  into  the  great 
council  chamber,  and  began  to  ques- 
tion him.  He  asked  him  who  he 
was,  from  what  country  he  came, 
and  what  was  the  end  of  his  journey, 
but  not  a  word  would  the  old  man 
answer.  Whereupon  Geirrod,  get- 
ting very  angry  and  not  a  little 
frightened,  had  two  fires  built  on 
the  stone  floor,  and  bound  the 
stranger  between  them.  Eight  days 
the  old  man  sat  there  in  the  awful 
heat,  silent  and  motionless.  No  one 
gave  him  a  thought  of  pity  or  a 
word  of  comfort  save  little  Agnar, 
Geirrod's  son,  who  brought  him  a 
cooling  drink,  and  told  him  how 
cruel  he  thought  his  father  was.  On 
the  last  day  the  fires  had  crept  so 
near  that  the  fur  coat  began  to  burn, 
96 


Odin  in  Geirrod's  Palace 

and  then  suddenly  the  old  man  found 
his  voice,  and  what  a  voice  it  was ! 
It  filled  the  council  chamber  like  the 
tones  of  some  great  organ,  so  sweet 
and  deep  and  wonderful  it  was. 
Bound  between  the  blazing  flames 
that  joined  their  fiery  tongues  above 
his  head  and  beat  fiercely  against  the 
vaulted  roof,  the  old  man  broke  into 
such  a  song  as  had  never  been  heard 
on  earth  before.  He  sang  the  birth 
of  gods,  the  glories  of  Asgard,  the 
secrets  of  fate,  such  things  as  only 
Odin  himself  could  know ;  and  as 
the  song  deepened  in  its  tone,  and 
the  awful  secrets  of  the  other  world 
were  revealed,  Geirrod's  throne  trem- 
bled beneath  him,  for  in  the  tortured 
stranger  he  saw  now  the  mighty  Odin 
himself.  He  started  up  to  break  the 
bonds  and  scatter  the  flaming  brands, 
dropped  his  sword,  caught  it  by  a 
7  97 


Norse  Stories 

swift  thrust,  slipped  suddenly,  fell  on 
the  glittering  blade,  and  rolled  dead 
at  Odin's  feet.  His  sin  was  pun- 
ished. Odin  vanished,  and  little 
Agnar  was  King. 


Chapter  VIII 

The  Apples  of  I  dun 

ONCE  upon  a  time  Odin,  Loke, 
and  Hoener  started  on  a 
journey.  They  had  often  travelled 
together  before  on  all  sorts  of  errands, 
for  they  had  a  great  many  things  to 
look  after,  and  more  than  once  they 
had  fallen  into  trouble  through  the 
prying,  meddlesome,  malicious  spirit 
of  Loke,  who  was  never  so  happy  as 
when  he  was  doing  wrong.  When 
the  gods  went  on  a  journey  they 
travelled  fast  and  hard,  for  they  were 
strong,  active  spirits  who  loved  noth- 
ing so  much  as  hard  work,  hard 
blows,  storm,  peril,  and  struggle. 
There  were  no  roads  through  the 
country  over  which  they  made  their 
99 


Norse  Stories 

way,  only  high  mountains  to  be 
climbed  by  rocky  paths,  deep  valleys 
into  which  the  sun  hardly  looked 
during  half  the  year,  and  swift-rush- 
ing streams,  cold  as  ice,  and  treach- 
erous to  the  surest  foot  and  the 
strongest  arm.  Not  a  bird  flew 
through  the  air,  not  an  animal 
sprang  through  the  trees.  It  was 
as  still  as  a  desert.  The  gods  walked 
on  and  on,  getting  more  tired  and 
hungry  at  every  step.  The  sun  was 
sinking  low  over  the  steep,  pine- 
crested  mountains,  and  the  travellers 
had  neither  breakfasted  nor  dined. 
Even  Odin  was  beginning  to  feel  the 
pangs  of  hunger,  like  the  most  ordin- 
ary mortal,  when  suddenly,  entering 
a  little  valley,  the  famished  gods 
came  upon  a  herd  of  cattle.  It  was 
the  work  of  a  minute  to  kill  a  great 
ox  and  to  have  the  carcass  swing- 
100 


The  Apples  of  Idun 

ing  in  a  huge  pot  over  a  roaring 
fire. 

But  never  were  gods  so  unlucky 
before!  In  spite  of  their  hunger 
the  pot  would  not  boil.  They  piled 
on  the  wood  until  the  great  flames 
crackled  and  licked  the  pot  with  their 
fiery  tongues,  but  every  time  the 
cover  was  lifted  there  was  the  meat 
just  as  raw  as  when  it  was  put  in. 
It  is  easy  to  imagine  that  the  trav- 
ellers were  not  in  very  good  humor. 
As  they  were  talking  about  it,  and 
wondering  how  it  could  be,  a  voice 
called  out  from  the  branches  of  the 
oak  overhead,  "  If  you  will  give  me 
my  fill  I  '11  make  the  pot  boil." 

The  gods  looked  first  at  each 
other  and  then  into  the  tree,  and 
there  they  discovered  a  great  eagle. 
They  were  glad  enough  to  get  their 
supper  on  almost  any  terms,  so  they 

101 


Norse  Stories 

told  the  eagle  he  might  have  what 
he  wanted  if  he  would  only  get  the 
meat  cooked.  The  bird  was  as  good 
as  his  word,  and  in  less  time  than  it 
takes  to  tell  it  supper  was  ready. 
Then  the  eagle  flew  down  and  picked 
out  both  shoulders  and  both  legs. 
This  was  a  pretty  large  share,  it  must 
be  confessed,  and  Loke,  who  was 
always  angry  when  anybody  got  more 
than  he,  no  sooner  saw  what  the 
eagle  had  taken  than  he  seized  a 
great  pole  and  began  to  beat  the 
rapacious  bird  unmercifully.  Where- 
upon a  very  singular  thing  happened, 
as  singular  things  always  used  to 
happen  when  the  gods  were  con- 
cerned :  the  pole  stuck  fast  in  the 
huge  talons  of  the  eagle  at  one  end, 
and  Loke  stuck  fast  at  the  other  end. 
Struggle  as  he  might,  he  could  not 
get  loose,  and  as  the  great  bird  sailed 

IO2 


The  Apples  of  Idun 

away  over  the  tops  of  the  trees,  Loke 
went  pounding  along  on  the  ground, 
striking  against  rocks  and  branches 
until  he  was  bruised  half  to  death. 

The  eagle  was  not  an  ordinary 
bird  by  any  means,  as  Loke  soon 
found  when  he  begged  for  mercy. 
The  giant  Thjasse  happened  to  be 
flying  abroad  in  his  eagle  plumage 
when  the  hungry  travellers  came 
under  the  oak  and  tried  to  cook  the 
ox.  It  was  into  his  hands  that  Loke 
had  fallen,  and  he  was  not  to  get 
away  until  he  had  promised  to  pay 
roundly  for  his  freedom. 

If  there  was  one  thing  which  the 
gods  prized  above  their  other  treas- 
ures in  Asgard,  it  was  the  beautiful 
fruit  of  Idun,  kept  by  the  goddess  in 
a  golden  casket  and  given  to  the 
gods  to  keep  them  forever  young  and 
fair.  Without  these  Apples  all  their 
103 


Norse  Stories 

power  could  not  have  kept  them  from 
getting  old  like  the  meanest  of  mor- 
tals. Without  these  Apples  of  Idun 
Asgard  itself  would  have  lost  its 
charm ;  for  what  would  heaven  be 
without  youth  and  beauty  forever 
shining  through  it? 

Thjasse  told  Loke  that  he  could 
not  go  unless  he  would  promise 
to  bring  him  the  Apples  of  Idun. 
Loke  was  wicked  enough  for  any- 
thing ;  but  when  it  came  to  robbing 
the  gods  of  their  immortality,  even 
he  hesitated.  And  while  he  hesi- 
tated the  eagle  dashed  hither  and 
thither,  flinging  him  against  the  sides 
of  the  mountains  and  dragging  him 
through  the  great  tough  boughs  of 
the  oaks  until  his  courage  gave  out 
entirely,  and  he  promised  to  steal  the 
Apples  out  of  Asgard  and  give  them 
to  the  giant. 

104 


The  Apples  of  Idun 

Loke  was  bruised  and  sore  enough 
when  he  got  on  his  feet  again  to 
hate  the  giant  who  handled  him  so 
roughly,  with  all  his  heart,  but  he 
was  not  unwilling  to  keep  his  prom- 
ise to  steal  the  Apples,  if  only  for 
the  sake  of  tormenting  the  other 
gods.  But  how  was  it  to  be  done  ? 
Idun  guarded  the  golden  fruit  of 
immortality  with  sleepless  watchful- 
ness. No  one  ever  touched  it  but 
herself,  and  a  beautiful  sight  it  was 
to  see  her  fair  hands  spread  it  forth 
for  the  morning  feasts  in  Asgard. 
The  power  which  Loke  possessed 
lay  not  so  much  in  his  own  strength, 
although  he  had  a  smooth  way  of 
deceiving  people,  as  in  the  goodness 
of  others  who  had  no  thought  of  his 
doing  wrong  because  they  never  did 
wrong  themselves. 

Not  long  after  all  this  happened, 
105 


Norse  Stories 

Loke  came  carelessly  up  to  Idun  as 
she  was  gathering  her  Apples  to  put 
them  away  in  the  beautiful  carven 
box  which  held  them. 

"  Good  morning,  goddess,"  said  he. 
"  How  fair  and  golden  your  Apples 
are  !  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Idun ;  "  the 
bloom  of  youth  keeps  them  always 
beautiful." 

"  I  never  saw  anything  like  them," 
continued  Loke  slowly,  as  if  he  were 
talking  about  a  matter  of  no  import- 
ance, "until  the  other  day." 

Idun  looked  up  at  once  with  the 
greatest  interest  and  curiosity  in  her 
face.  She  was  very  proud  of  her 
Apples,  and  she  knew  no  earthly 
trees,  however  large  and  fair,  bore 
the  immortal  fruit. 

"  Where  have  you  seen  any  Apples 
like  them  ? "  she  asked. 
1 06 


The  Apples  of  Idun 

"  Oh,  just  outside  the  gates,"  said 
Loke  indifferently.  "If  you  care  to 
see  them  I  '11  take  you  there.  It 
will  keep  you  but  a  moment.  The 
tree  is  only  a  little  way  off." 

Idun  was  anxious  to  go  at  once. 

"  Better  take  your  Apples  with  you 
to  compare  them  with  the  others,"  said 
the  wily  god,  as  she  prepared  to  go. 

I  dun  gathered  up  the  golden  Apples 
and  went  out  of  Asgard,  carrying  with 
her  all  that  made  it  heaven.  No 
sooner  was  she  beyond  the  gates  than 
a  mighty  rushing  sound  was  heard, 
like  the  coming  of  a  tempest,  and 
before  she  could  think  or  act,  the 
giant  Thjasse,  in  his  eagle  plumage, 
was  bearing  her  swiftly  away  through 
the  air  to  his  desolate,  icy  home  in 
Thrymheim,  where,  after  vainly  try- 
ing to  persuade  her  to  let  him  eat 
the  Apples  and  be  forever  young 
107 


Norse  Stories 

like  the  gods,  he  kept  her  a  lonely 
prisoner. 

Loke,  after  keeping  his  promise 
and  delivering  Idun  into  the  hands 
of  the  giant,  strayed  back  into  As- 
gard  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 
The  next  morning,  when  the  gods 
assembled  for  their  feast,  there  was 
no  Idun.  Day  after  day  went  past, 
and  still  the  beautiful  goddess  did 
not  come.  Little  by  little  the  light 
of  youth  and  beauty  faded  from  the 
home  of  the  gods,  and  they  them- 
selves became  old  and  haggard. 
Their  strong,  young  faces  were  lined 
with  care  and  furrowed  by  age,  their 
raven  locks  passed  from  gray  to 
white,  and  their  flashing  eyes  be- 
came dim  and  hollow.  Brage,  the 
god  of  poetry,  could  make  no  music 
while  his  beautiful  wife  was  gone  he 
knew  not  whither. 
1 08 


The  Apples  of  I  dun 

Morning  after  morning  the  faded 
light  broke  on  paler  and  ever  paler 
faces,  until  even  in  heaven  the  eternal 
light  of  youth  seemed  to  be  going 
out  forever. 

Finally  the  gods  could  bear  the 
loss  of  power  and  joy  no  longer. 
They  made  rigorous  inquiry.  They 
tracked  Loke  on  that  fair  morning 
when  he  led  Idun  beyond  the  gates ; 
they  seized  him  and  brought  him  into 
solemn  council,  and  when  he  read 
in  their  haggard  faces  the  deadly 
hate  which  flamed  in  all  their  hearts 
against  his  treachery,  his  courage 
failed,  and  he  promised  to  bring  Idun 
back  to  Asgard  if  the  goddess  Freyja 
would  lend  him  her  falcon-guise. 
No  sooner  said  than  done ;  and  with 
eager  gaze  the  gods  watched  him  as 
he  flew  away,  becoming  at  last  only  a 
dark  moving  speck  against  the  sky. 
109 


Norse  Stories 

After  long  and  weary  flight  Loke 
came  to  Thrymheim,  and  was  glad 
enough  to  find  Thjasse  gone  to  sea 
and  Idun  alone  in  his  dreary  house. 
He  changed  her  instantly  into  a  nut, 
and  taking  her  thus  disguised  in  his 
talons,  flew  away  as  fast  as  his  falcon 
wings  could  carry  him.  And  he  had 
need  of  all  his  speed,  for  Thjasse, 
coming  suddenly  home  and  finding 
Idun  and  her  precious  fruit  gone, 
guessed  what  had  happened,  and, 
putting  on  his  eagle  plumage,  flew 
forth  in  a  mighty  rage,  with  ven- 
geance in  his  heart.  Like  the  rush- 
ing wings  of  a  tempest,  his  mighty 
pinions  beat  the  air  and  bore  him 
swiftly  onward.  From  mountain 
peak  to  mountain  peak  he  measured 
his  wide  course,  almost  grazing  at 
times  the  murmuring  pine  forests, 
and  then  sweeping  high  in  mid-air 


no 


The  Apples  of  Idun 

with  nothing  above  but  the  arching 
sky,  and  nothing  beneath  but  the 
tossing  sea. 

At  last  he  sees  the  falcon  far  ahead, 
and  now  his  flight  becomes  like  the 
flash  of  the  lightning  for  swiftness, 
and  like  the  rushing  of  clouds  for 
uproar.  The  haggard  faces  of  the 
gods  line  the  walls  of  Asgard  and 
watch  the  race  with  tremulous  eager- 
ness. Youth  and  immortality  are 
staked  upon  the  winning  of  Loke. 
He  is  weary  enough  and  frightened 
enough  too,  as  the  eagle  sweeps  on 
close  behind  him ;  but  he  makes 
desperate  efforts  to  widen  the  dis- 
tance between  them.  Little  by  little 
the  eagle  gains  on  the  falcon.  The 
gods  grow  white  with  fear ;  they 
rush  off  and  prepare  great  fires  upon 
the  walls.  With  fainting,  drooping 
wing  the  falcon  passes  over  and 
in 


Norse  Stories 

drops  exhausted  by  the  wall.  In  an 
instant  the  fires  have  been  lighted, 
and  the  great  flames  roar  to  heaven. 
The  eagle  sweeps  across  the  fiery 
line  a  second  later,  and  falls,  maimed 
and  burned,  to  the  ground,  where  a 
dozen  fierce  hands  smite  the  life  out 
of  him,  and  the  great  giant  Thjasse 
perishes  among  his  foes. 

I  dun  resumes  her  natural  form  as 
Brage  rushes  to  meet  her.  The  gods 
crowd  round  her.  She  spreads  the 
feast,  the  golden  Apples  gleaming 
with  unspeakable  lustre  in  the  eyes 
of  the  gods.  They  eat;  and  once 
more  their  faces  glow  with  the  beauty 
of  immortal  youth,  their  eyes  flash 
with  the  radiance  of  divine  power, 
and,  while  Idun  stands  like  a  star  for 
beauty  among  the  throng,  the  song  of 
Brage  is  heard  once  more  ;  for  poetry 
and  immortality  are  wedded  again. 

112 


Chapter  IX 

Thor  goes  a  fishing 

MIDWAY  between  Niflheim 
and  Muspelheim  lay  Mid- 
gard,  the  home  of  men,  its  round 
disk  everywhere  encircled  by  the 
ocean,  which  perpetually  rushed  upon 
it,  gently  in  still  summer  afternoons, 
but  with  a  terrible  uproar  in  winter. 
Ages  ago,  when  the  Midgard-serpent 
had  grown  so  vast  that  even  the  gods 
were  afraid  of  him,  Odin  cast  him 
into  the  sea,  and  he  lay  flat  at  the 
bottom  of  the  ocean,  grown  to  such 
monstrous  size  that  his  scaly  length 
encircled  the  whole  world.  Holding 
the  end  of  his  tail  in  his  mouth,  he 
sometimes  lay  motionless  for  weeks 

8  113 


Norse  Stories 

at  a  time,  and  looking  across  the 
water  no  one  would  have  dreamed 
that  such  a  monster  was  asleep  in  its 
depths.  But  when  the  Midgard- 
serpent  was  aroused  his  wrath  was 
terrible  to  behold.  He  lashed  the 
ocean  into  great  sheets  of  foam,  he 
piled  the  waves  mountain  high,  he 
dashed  the  spray  into  the  very 
heavens,  and  woe  to  the  galleys  that 
were  sailing  homeward. 

It  happened  once  that  the  gods 
were  feasting  with  ^Eger,  the  sea-god, 
and  the  ale  gave  out,  and  ^Eger  had 
no  kettle  in  which  to  brew  a  new 
supply. 

"  Thor,"  said  ^Eger,  after  he  had 
thought  a  moment,  "will  you  get 
me  a  kettle?" 

Thor  was  always  ready  for  any 
hard  or  dangerous  thing. 

"Of  course  I  will,"  was  his  quick 
114 


Thor  goes  a  Fishing 

reply,  "only  tell  me  where  to  get 
one." 

That,  however,  was  no  easy  thing 
to  do.  Kettles  big  enough  to  brew 
ale  for  Asgard  were  not  to  be  picked 
up  at  a  moment's  notice.  Every- 
body wanted  more  ale,  but  nobody 
could  tell  Thor  where  to  find  a  ket- 
tle, until  Tyr,  the  god  of  courage, 
spoke  up  :  "  East  of  the  rivers  Eliv- 
agar  lives  my  father,  Hymer,  who 
has  a  kettle  marvellously  strong  and 
one  mile  deep." 

This  was  large  enough  even  for  the 
gods. 

"  Do  you  think  we  can  get  it  ?  " 
asked  Thor,  who  always  wanted  to 
succeed  in  his  undertakings. 

"If  we  cannot  get  it  by  force  we 

can    by   stratagem,"    answered    Tyr, 

and  they  started  off  at  once,  Thor 

taking  the  disguise  of  a  young  man. 

"5 


Norse  Stories 

The  goats  drew  them  swiftly  to  Egil, 
with  whom  Thor  left  them  while  he 
and  Tyr  pushed  on  to  finish  the 
journey  afoot.  It  was  rough  and 
perilous  travelling,  but  they  reached 
Hymer's  hall  without  accident,  and 
there  Tyr  found  his  grandmother, 
a  frightfully  ugly  giantess,  and  his 
mother,  a  wonderfully  beautiful  wo- 
man, with  fair  hair,  and  a  face  so 
radiant  that  the  sun  seemed  to  be 
always  shining  upon  it.  The  latter 
advised  them  to  hide  under  the  great 
kettles  in  the  hall,  because  when 
Hymer  came  home  in  bad  temper 
he  was  sometimes  cruel  to  strangers. 
Late  in  the  evening  Hymer  came 
home  from  his  fishing.  A  cold  wind 
swept  through  the  hall  as  he  entered, 
his  eyes  were  piercing  as  the  stars 
on  a  winter's  night,  and  his  beard 
was  white  with  frost. 
116 


Thor  goes  a  Fishing 

"  I  welcome  you  home,"  said  Tyr's 
beautiful  mother;  "our  son,  for  whom 
we  have  been  looking  so  long,  has 
come  home,  bringing  with  him  the 
enemy  of  giants  and  the  protector  of 
Asgard.  See  how  they  hide  them- 
selves behind  that  pillar  yonder." 

She  pointed  to  a  pillar  at  the  farther 
end  of  the  hall.  Hymer  turned  and 
looked  at  it  with  his  piercing,  icy 
glance,  and  in  an  instant  it  snapped  in- 
to a  thousand  pieces  ;  the  beam  over- 
head broke,  and  eight  kettles  fell  with 
a  crash  on  the  stone  floor.  Only  one 
out  of  the  eight  remained  unbroken, 
and  from  it  Thor  and  Tyr  came  forth. 
Hymer  was  not  glad  to  see  Thor 
standing  there  under  his  own  roof, 
but  he  could  not  turn  him  out,  so  he 
made  the  best  of  it  and  ordered  three 
oxen  to  be  served  for  supper.  Thor 
had  travelled  a  long  distance  and  was 
117 


Norse  Stories 

very  hungry,  and  ate  two  of  the  oxen 
before  he  was  satisfied. 

"  If  you  eat  like  that,"  said  Hymer, 
"  we  will  have  to  live  on  fish  to-mor- 
row." 

Early  the  next  morning,  before  the 
sun  was  up,  Thor  heard  Hymer  get- 
ting ready  for  a  day  of  fishing.  He 
dressed  himself  quickly  and  went  out 
to  the  giant.  "  Good  morning,  Hy- 
mer," he  said  pleasantly.  "  I  am 
fond  of  fishing ;  let  me  row  out  to  sea 
with  you." 

"  Oho,"  answered  the  giant  scorn- 
fully, not  at  all  pleased  with  the  idea 
of  having  his  powerful  enemy  in  the 
boat  with  him,  "  such  a  puny  young 
fellow  can  be  of  no  use  to  me,  and  if 
I  go  as  far  out  to  sea  as  I  generally 
do,  and  stay  as  long,  you  will  catch 
a  cold  that  will  be  the  death  of 
you." 

118 


Thor  goes  a  Fishing 

Thor  was  so  angry  at  this  insult 
that  he  wanted  to  let  his  hammer  ring 
on  the  giant's  head,  but  he  wisely 
kept  his  temper. 

"  I  will  row  as  far  from  the  land  as 
you  care  to  go,"  was  his  answer,  "  and 
it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  I  shall 
be  the  first  to  want  to  put  in  again. 
What  do  you  bait  with  ?" 

"  Find  a  bait  for  yourself,"  was  the 
giant's  surly  reply. 

Thor  ran  up  to  a  herd  of  Hymer's 
cattle,  seized  the  largest  bull,  wrung 
off  its  head  without  any  trouble,  and 
put  it  in  the  boat.  Then  they  both 
pushed  off  and  were  soon  rowing  sea- 
ward. Thor  rowed  aft,  and  the  boat 
fairly  shot  through  the  water.  Hy- 
mer  could  pull  a  strong  oar,  but  he 
had  never  seen  such  a  stroke  as  Thor's 
before.  The  boat  fairly  trembled  un- 
der the  force  of  it.  In  a  few  moments 
119 


Norse  Stories 

they  reached  Hymer's  fishing-ground, 
and  he  called  out  to  Thor  to  stop. 

"  Oh,  no,  not  yet,"  said  Thor, 
bending  steadily  over  his  oars  ;  "  we 
must  go  a  good  distance  beyond  this." 

Thor  pulled  with  such  tremendous 
power  that  they  were  soon  far  out  to 
sea,  and  Hymer  began  to  be  fright- 
ened. 

"If  you  don't  stop,"  he  called  out, 
"we  shall  be  over  the  Midgard-ser- 
pent." 

Thor  paid  no  attention,  but  rowed 
on  until  they  were  far  out  of  sight  of 
land  and  about  where  he  thought  the 
great  snake  was  coiled  in  the  bottom 
of  the  sea ;  then  he  laid  down  the  oars 
as  fresh  and  strong  apparently  as  when 
he  got  into  the  boat.  It  was  the 
strangest  fishing  party  the  world  ever 
saw,  and  the  most  wonderful  fishing. 
No  sooner  had  Hymer's  bait  touched 

120 


Thor  goes  a  Fishing 

water  than  it  was  seized  by  two  whales. 
Thor  smiled  quietly  at  the  giant's 
luck,  took  out  a  fishing-line,  made 
with  wonderful  skill,  and  so  strong 
that  it  could  not  be  broken,  fastened 
the  bull's  head  upon  the  hook  and 
cast  it  into  the  sea.  The  Midgard- 
serpent  instantly  seized  it,  and  in  a 
second  the  hook  was  fast  in  its  palate. 
Then  came  a  furious  struggle  between 
the  strong  god  and  the  terrible  mon- 
ster which  was  the  dread  of  the  whole 
earth. 

Stung  by  the  pain,  the  serpent 
writhed  and  pulled  so  hard  that  Thor 
had  to  brace  himself  against  the  side 
of  the  boat.  When  he  found  that  the 
snake  had  taken  his  hook  his  wrath 
rose,  and  his  divine  strength  came 
upon  him.  He  pulled  the  line  with 
such  tremendous  force  that  his  feet 
went  straight  through  the  bottom  of 

121 


Norse  Stories 

the  boat,  and  he  stood  on  the  bed  of 
the  ocean  while  he  drew  the  snake  up 
to  the  side  of  the  boat.  The  monster, 
convulsed  with  pain,  reared  its  terrible 
head  out  of  the  water,  its  glittering 
eyes  flashing,  its  whole  vast  body 
writhing  and  churning  the  ocean  into 
a  whirlpool  of  eddying  foam.  Thor's 
eyes  blazed  with  wrath,  and  he  held 
the  serpent  in  a  grasp  like  a  vise. 
The  uproar  was  like  a  terrible  storm, 
and  the  boat,  the  fishers,  and  the  snake 
were  hidden  by  columns  of  foam  that 
rose  in  the  air.  No  one  can  tell  what 
the  end  would  have  been  if  Hymer, 
trembling  with  fright  and  seeing  the 
boat  about  to  sink,  had  not  sprung 
forward  and  cut  the  line  just  as  Thor 
was  raising  his  hammer  to  crush  the 
serpent's  head.  The  snake  sank  at 
once  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and 
Thor,  turning  upon  the  giant,  struck 

122 


Thor  goes  a  Fishing 

him  such  a  blow  under  the  ear  that  he 
fell  headlong  into  the  water.  The 
giant  got  back  to  the  boat,  however> 
and  they  rowed  to  land,  taking  the 
two  whales  with  them. 

When  they  reached  shore  Thor  was 
still  filled  with  rage  at  the  meddlesome 
giant,  because  he  had  lost  him  the  ser- 
pent, but  he  quietly  picked  up  the 
boat  and  carried  it  home,  Hymer  tak- 
ing the  whales.  Once  more  under 
his  own  roof,  the  giant's  courage  re- 
turned, and  he  challenged  Thor  to 
show  his  strength  by  breaking  his 
drinking-cup.  Thor  sat  down  and, 
taking  the  cup,  hurled  it  against  a 
pillar.  It  flew  through  the  air,  crash- 
ed against  the  stone,  bounded  back, 
and  was  picked  up  as  whole  and  per- 
fect as  when  it  came  into  Thor's 
hands.  He  was  puzzled,  but  Tyr's 
beautiful  fair-haired  mother  whispered 
123 


Norse  Stories 

to  him,  "  Throw  it  at  Hymer's  fore- 
head ;  it  is  harder  than  any  drinking- 
cup." 

Thor  drew  in  all  his  godlike 
strength  and  dashed  the  cup  with  a 
terrific  effort  at  Hymer.  The  fore- 
head was  unharmed,  but  the  cup  was 
scattered  in  a  thousand  pieces  over 
the  floor.  Hymer  had  lost  a  great 
treasure  by  the  experiment,  but  he 
only  said,  "  That  drink  was  too  hot. 
Perhaps  you  will  take  the  kettle  off 
now,"  he  added  with  a  sneer. 

Tyr  immediately  laid  hands  on  the 
kettle,  but  he  could  not  move  it  an 
inch.  Then  Thor  took  the  great 
pot  in  his  hands  and  drew  it  up  with 
such  a  mighty  effort  that  his  feet  went 
through  the  stone  floor  of  the  hall,  but 
he  lifted  it  and,  placing  it  on  his  head 
like  a  mighty  helmet,  walked  off,  the 
rings  of  the  kettle  clanging  about  his 
124 


Thor  goes  a  Fishing 

feet.  The  two  gods  walked  swiftly 
away  from  the  hall  where  so  many 
troubles  and  labours  had  awaited 
them,  and  it  was  a  long  time  before 
Thor  turned  to  look  back.  When 
he  did,  it  was  not  a  moment  too  soon, 
for  Hymer  was  close  behind,  with 
a  multitude  of  many-headed  giants, 
in  hot  pursuit. 

In  one  minute  Thor  had  lifted  the 
kettle  off  his  head  and  put  it  on  the 
ground,  in  another  he  was  swinging 
the  hammer  among  the  giants,  and 
in  another,  when  the  lightnings  had 
gone  out  and  the  thunder  had  died 
in  awful  echoes  among  the  hills, 
Tyr  and  Thor  were  alone  on  the 
field. 

They  went  on  to   Egil,  mounted 

the    chariot    and    drove    the    goats 

swiftly   on    to    ^Eger's,    where    the 

gods   were    impatiently   waiting    for 

125 


Norse  Stories 

the  kettle.  There  was  straightway  a 
mighty  brewing  of  ale,  Thor  told  the 
story  of  his  adventures  in  search  of 
the  kettle,  and  the  feast  went  mer- 
rily on. 


126 


Chapter  X 

How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

THE  frost-giants  were  always  try- 
ing to  get  into  Asgard.  For 
more  than  half  the  year  they  held  the 
world  in  their  grasp,  locking  up  the 
streams  in  their  rocky  beds,  hushing 
their  music  and  the  music  of  the  birds 
as  well,  and  leaving  nothing  but  a 
wild  waste  of  desolation  under  the 
cold  sky.  They  hated  the  warm  sun- 
shine which  stirred  the  wild  flowers 
out  of  their  sleep,  and  clothed  the 
steep  mountains  with  verdure,  and 
set  all  the  birds  a-singing  in  the 
swaying  tree-tops.  They  hated  the 
beautiful  god  Balder,  with  whose 
presence  summer  came  back  to  the 
ice-bound  earth,  and,  above  all,  they 
127 


Norse  Stories 

hated  Thor,  whose  flashing  hammer 
drove  them  back  into  Jotunheim,  and 
guarded  the  summer  sky  with  its  sud- 
den gleamings  of  power.  So  long  as 
Thor  had  his  hammer  Asgard  was 
safe  against  the  giants. 

One  morning  Thor  started  up  out 
of  a  long,  deep  sleep,  and  put  out 
his  hand  for  the  hammer;  but  no 
hammer  was  there.  Not  a  sign  of  it 
could  be  found  anywhere,  although 
Thor  anxiously  searched  for  it. 
Then  a  thought  of  the  giants  came 
suddenly  in  his  mind ;  and  his  anger 
rose  till  his  eyes  flashed  like  great 
fires,  and  his  red  beard  trembled 
with  wrath. 

"  Look,  now,  Loke,"  he  shouted, 
"they  have  stolen  Mjolner  by  en- 
chantment, and  no  one  on  -earth  or 
in  heaven  knows  where  they  have 
hidden  it." 

128 


How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

"  We  will  get  Freyja's  falcon-guise 
and  search  for  it,"  answered  Loke,  who 
was  always  quick  to  get  into  trouble 
or  to  get  out  of  it  again.  So  they 
went  quickly  to  Folkvang  and  found 
Freyja  surrounded  by  her  maidens 
and  weeping  tears  of  pure  gold,  as 
she  had  always  done  since  her  hus- 
band went  on  his  long  journey. 

"  The  hammer  has  been  stolen  by 
enchantment,"  said  Thor.  "  Will 
you  lend  me  the  falcon-guise  that 
I  may  search  for  it  ? " 

"If  it  were  silver,  or  even  gold, 
you  should  have  it  and  welcome," 
answered  Freyja,  glad  to  help  Thor 
find  the  wonderful  hammer  that  kept 
them  all  safe  from  the  hands  of  the 
frost-giants. 

So  the  falcon-guise  was  brought, 
and  Loke  put  it  on  and  flew  swiftly 
out  of  Asgard  to  the  home  of  the 
9  129 


Norse  Stories 

giants.  His  great  wings  made  broad 
shadows  over  the  ripe  fields  as  he 
swept  along,  and  the  reapers,  look- 
ing up  from  their  work,  wondered 
what  mighty  bird  was  flying  seaward. 
At  last  he  reached  Jotunheim,  and 
no  sooner  had  he  touched  ground 
and  taken  off  the  falcon-guise  than 
he  came  upon  the  giant  Thrym,  sit- 
ting on  a  hill  twisting  golden  collars 
for  his  dogs  and  stroking  the  long 
manes  of  his  horses. 

"  Welcome,  Loke,"  said  the  giant. 
"  How  fares  it  with  the  gods  and 
the  elves,  and  what  has  brought  you 
to  Jotunheim  ? " 

"It  fares  ill  with  both  gods  and 
elves  since  you  stole  Thor's  ham- 
mer," replied  Loke,  guessing  quickly 
that  Thrym  was  the  thief;  "  and  I 
have  come  to  find  where  you  have 
hidden  it." 

130 


How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

Thrym  laughed  as  only  a  giant 
can  when  he  knows  he  has  made 
trouble  for  somebody. 

"You  won't  find  it,"  he  said  at 
last.  "  I  have  buried  it  eight  miles 
under  ground,  and  no  one  shall  take 
it  away  unless  he  gets  Freyja  for  me 
as  my  wife." 

The  giant  looked  as  if  he  meant 
what  he  said,  and  Loke,  seeing  no 
other  way  of  finding  the  hammer, 
put  on  his  falcon-guise  and  flew  back 
to  Asgard.  Thor  was  waiting  to 
hear  what  news  he  brought,  and 
both  were  soon  at  the  great  doors 
of  Folkvang. 

"  Put  on  your  bridal  dress,  Freyja," 
said  Thor  bluntly,  after  his  fashion, 
"and  we  will  ride  swiftly  to  Jotun- 
heim." 

But  Freyja  had  no  idea  of  marry- 
ing a  giant  just  to  please  Thor ;  and, 


Norse  Stories 

in  fact,  that  Thor  should  ask  her  to 
do  such  a  thing  threw  her  into  such 
a  rage  that  the  floor  shook  under 
her  angry  tread,  and  her  necklace 
snapped  in  pieces. 

"  Do  you  think  I  am  a  weak  love- 
sick girl,  to  follow  you  to  Jotun- 
heim  and  marry  Thrym  ? "  she  cried 
indignantly. 

Finding  they  could  do  nothing 
with  Freyja,  Thor  and  Loke  called 
all  the  gods  together  to  talk  over  the 
matter  and  decide  what  should  be 
done  to  get  back  the  hammer.  The 
gods  were  very  much  alarmed,  be- 
cause they  knew  the  frost-giants 
would  come  upon  Asgard  as  soon  as 
they  knew  the  hammer  was  gone. 
They  said  little,  for  they  did  not 
waste  time  with  idle  words,  but  they 
thought  long  and  earnestly,  and  still 
they  could  find  no  way  of  getting 
132 


How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

hold  of  Mjolner  once  more.  At 
last  Heimdal,  who  had  once  been  a 
Van,  and  could  therefore  look  into 
the  future,  said :  "  We  must  have 
the  hammer  at  once  or  Asgard  will 
be  in  danger.  If  Freyja  will  not  go, 
let  Thor  be  dressed  up  and  go  in 
her  place.  Let  keys  jingle  from  his 
waist  and  a  woman's  dress  fall  about 
his  feet.  Put  precious  stones  upon 
his  breast,  braid  his  hair  like  a 
woman's,  hang  the  necklace  around 
his  neck,  and  bind  the  bridal  veil 
around  his  head." 

Thor  frowned  angrily.  "  If  I 
dress  like  a  woman,"  he  said,  "you 
will  jeer  at  me." 

"Don't  talk  of  jeers,"  retorted 
Loke;  "unless  that  hammer  is 
brought  back  quickly  the  giants 
will  rule  in  our  places." 

Thor  said  no  more,  but  allowed 
133 


Norse  Stories 

himself  to  be  dressed  like  a  bride, 
and  soon  drove  off  to  Jotunheim 
with  Loke  beside  him  disguised  as 
a  servant-maid.  There  was  never 
such  a  wedding  journey  before. 
They  rode  in  Thor's  chariot  and  the 
goats  drew  them,  plunging  swiftly 
along  the  way,  thunder  pealing 
through  the  mountains  and  the 
frightened  earth  blazing  and  smok- 
ing as  they  passed.  When  Thrym 
saw  the  bridal  party  coming  he  was 
filled  with  delight. 

"  Stand  up,  you  giants,"  he  shouted 
to  his  companions ;  "  spread  cush- 
ions upon  the  benches  and  bring  in 
Freyja,  my  bride.  My  yards  are 
full  of  golden-horned  cows,  black 
oxen  please  my  gaze  whichever  way 
I  look,  great  wealth  and  many  treas- 
ures are  mine,  and  Freyja  is  all  I 
lack." 


How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

It  was  evening  when  the  bride 
came  driving  into  the  giant's  court 
in  her  blazing  chariot.  The  feast 
was  already  spread  against  her  com- 
ing, and  with  her  veil  modestly 
covering  her  face  she  was  seated  at 
the  great  table,  Thrym  fairly  beside 
himself  with  delight.  It  was  n't 
every  giant  who  could  marry  a 
goddess ! 

If  the  bridal  journey  had  been  so 
strange  that  any  one  but  a  foolish 
giant  would  have  hesitated  to  marry 
a  wife  who  came  in  such  a  turmoil 
of  fire  and  storm,  her  conduct  at  the 
table  ought  certainly  to  have  put 
Thrym  on  his  guard ;  for  never  had 
bride  such  an  appetite  before.  The 
great  tables  groaned  under  the  load 
of  good  things,  but  they  were  quickly 
relieved  of  their  burden  by  the  vora- 
cious bride.  She  ate  a  whole  ox 


Norse  Stones 

before  the  astonished  giant  had  fairly 
begun  to  enjoy  his  meal.  Then  she 
devoured  eight  large  salmon,  one 
after  the  other,  without  stopping  to 
take  breath  ;  and  having  eaten  up  the 
part  of  the  feast  specially  prepared  for 
the  hungry  men,  she  turned  upon  the 
delicacies  which  had  been  made  for  the 
women,  and  especially  for  her  own  fas- 
tidious appetite. 

Thrym  looked  on  with  wondering 
eyes,  and  at  last,  when  she  had  added 
to  these  solid  foods  three  whole 
barrels  of  mead,  his  amazement  was 
so  great  that,  his  astonishment  get- 
ting the  better  of  his  politeness,  he 
called  out,  "  Did  any  one  ever  see 
such  an  appetite  in  a  bride  before,  or 
know  a  maid  who  could  drink  so 
much  mead  ?  " 

Then  Loke,  who  was  playing  the 
part  of  a  serving-maid,  thinking  that 
136 


How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

the  giant  might  have  some  suspicions, 
whispered  to  him,  "  Freyja  was  so 
happy  in  the  thought  of  coming  here 
that  she  has  eaten  nothing  for  eight 
whole  days." 

Thrym  was  so  pleased  at  this  evi- 
dence of  affection  that  he  leaned  for- 
ward and  raised  the  veil  as  gently 
as  a  giant  could,  but  he  instantly 
dropped  it  and  sprang  back  the 
whole  length  of  the  hall  before  the 
bride's  terrible  eyes. 

"Why  are  Freyja's  eyes  so  sharp ? " 
he  called  to  Loke.  "  They  burn  me 
like  fire." 

"  Oh,"  said  the  cunning  serving- 
maid,  "  she  has  not  slept  for  a  week, 
so  anxious  has  she  been  to  come 
here,  and  that  is  why  her  eyes  are 
so  fiery." 

Everybody  looked  at  the  bride 
and  nobody  envied  Thrym.  They 


Norse  Stones 

thought  it  was  too  much  like  marry- 
ing a  thunder-storm. 

The  giant's  sister  came  into  the 
hall  just  then,  and  seeing  the  veiled 
form  of  the  bride  sitting  there  went 
up  to  her  and  asked  for  a  bridal  gift. 
"  If  you  would  have  my  love  and 
friendship  give  me  those  rings  of 
gold  upon  your  fingers." 

But  the  bride  sat  perfectly  silent. 
No  one  had  yet  seen  her  face  or 
heard  her  voice. 

Thrym  became  very  impatient. 
"  Bring  in  the  hammer,"  he  shouted, 
"  that  the  bride  may  be  consecrated, 
and  wed  us  in  the  name  of  Var." 

If  the  giant  could  have  seen  the 
bride's  eyes  when  she  heard  these 
words  he  would  have  sent  her  home 
as  quickly  as  possible,  and  looked 
somewhere  else  for  a  wife. 

The  hammer  was  brought  and 
138 


How  Thor  found  his  Hammer 

placed  in  the  bride's  lap,  and  every- 
body looked  to  see  the  marriage 
ceremony ;  but  the  wedding  was 
more  strange  and  terrible  than  the 
bridal  journey  had  been.  No  sooner 
did  the  bride's  fingers  close  round 
the  handle  of  Mjolner  than  the  veil 
which  covered  her  face  was  torn  off 
and  there  stood  Thor,  the  giant- 
queller,  his  terrible  eyes  blazing  with 
wrath.  The  giants  shuddered  and 
shrank  away  from  those  flaming  eyes, 
the  sight  of  which  they  dreaded  more 
than  anything  else  in  all  the  worlds  ; 
but  there  was  no  chance  of  escape. 
Thor  swung  the  hammer  round  his 
head  and  the  great  house  rocked  on 
its  foundations.  There  was  a  vivid 
flash  of  lightning,  an  awful  crash  of 
thunder,  and  the  burning  roof  and 
walls  buried  the  whole  company  in 
one  common  ruin. 


Norse  Stories 

Thrym  was  punished  for  stealing 
the  hammer,  his  wedding  guests  got 
crushing  blows  instead  of  bridal  gifts, 
and  Thor  and  Loke  went  back  to 
Asgard,  where  the  presence  of  Mjol- 
ner  made  the  gods  safe  once  more. 


140 


Chapter  XI 

How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 
Hrungner 

ONE  bright  summer  morning, 
Thor,  the  God  of  Thunder, 
rode  out  of  Asgard  far  eastward, 
righting  giants  as  he  went  and  slaying 
them  with  his  mighty  hammer,  Mjol- 
ner;  but  Odin,  his  beautiful  blue 
mantle  shining  with  stars  and  his 
helmet  of  gold  glittering  in  the  clear 
air,  mounted  his  swift  horse  Sleipner, 
and  went  to  Jotunheim,  the  home 
of  the  greatest  giant  of  them  all.  As 
he  swept  along  every  one  stopped 
to  look,  for  such  a  horse  and  such 
a  rider  were  rarely  seen  on  earth. 
Sometimes  the  swift  hoofs  clattered 
141 


Norse  Stories 

along  the  rocky  roads  across  the  open 
country,  sometimes  they  struck  quick 
echoes  out  of  the  mountain  sides  in 
the  deep  dells,  sometimes  they  rang 
along  the  very  summits  of  the  hills  ; 
and  again,  in  an  instant,  horse  and 
rider  swept  noiseless  through  the  air 
like  a  strange  phantom  in  the  clear 
mid-day. 

When  Odin  reached  Jotunheim  he 
came  upon  Hrungner,  the  strongest 
of  the  giants. 

"  Who  are  you,  riding  through  air 
with  golden  helmet  and  flowing  man- 
tle ?  "  asked  the  giant.  "  You  have 
a  splendid  horse." 

"  None  half  so  good  in  Jotun- 
heim ! "  was  Odin's  answer. 

Odin's  boast  made  the  giant  angry. 
"  None  half  so  good  ?  "  he  repeated. 
"  I  '11  show  you  a  better  myself." 

Whereupon  he  sprang  on  Goldfax 
142 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

and  off  they  both  went  like  a  rushing 
wind.  Neither  gods  nor  men  ever 
saw  such  a  race  before  as  these  ran 
over  earth  and  through  air,  Sleipner 
dashing  with  foaming  flanks  ahead 
and  Goldfax  close  behind  with  flam- 
ing eye  and  mane  outspread.  So 
eager  was  the  chase  and  so  full  of  rage 
and  desire  the  mind  of  Hrungner 
that  before  he  knew  it  he  was  carried 
within  the  gates  of  Asgard,  where  the 
welcome  of  the  gods,  as  they  gathered 
round  the  foaming  chargers,  almost 
made  him  forget  that  he  was  among 
his  enemies. 

They  led  him  into  the  great  hall 
where  the  feasts  were  held,  and  after 
their  usual  manner  set  out  the  great 
tankards  brimming  with  wine,  and 
filled  for  him  the  hollow  horns  from 
which  Thor  often  drank  deep  and 
long.  As  they  were  set  before  him 


Norse  Stories 

the  giant  drained  them  one  by  one 
at  a  single  draught ;  and  after  a  time, 
as  horn  after  horn  of  sparkling  wine 
was  poured  down  Hrungner's  capa- 
cious throat,  he  forgot  his  peril,  and 
after  the  manner  of  drunken  men 
began  to  boast  of  his  mighty  deeds 
and  of  the  terrible  things  he  meant 
to  do  against  the  gods. 

"  Oho,"  he  shouted,  "  I  '11  pick  up 
this  little  Valhal  in  one  hand  and 
carry  it  off  to  Jotunheim  ;  I  '11  pull 
this  high-walled  Asgard  down  stone 
after  stone,  and  knock  the  heads  of 
all  these  puny  gods  together  until 
none  are  left  save  Freyja  and  Sif,  and 
they  shall  boil  my  pot  and  keep  my 
house  for  me."  And  so  this  drunken 
giant  disturbed  the  peace  of  heaven, 
and  the  gods  were  sorry  enough  that 
he  had  ever  ridden  within  their  gates  ; 
but  he  was  their  guest,  and  the  rites 
144 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

of  hospitality  must  be  respected  even 
with  a  drunken  braggart.  So  Freyja 
rilled  his  horn  again  and  again,  until 
he  roared  out  in  a  drunken  fury, 
"  I  '11  drink  every  drop  of  wine  in 
Asgard  before  I  leave." 

This  boast  made  the  gods,  already 
weary  of  his  boasting,  indignant,  and 
they  called  on  Thor  to  rid  them  of 
the  braggart.  The  God  of  Thun- 
der came  striding  into  the  hall  swing- 
ing his  mighty  hammer,  with  anger 
on  his  brow  and  in  his  eye,  to  hear 
the  gods  insulted  under  the  very  roof 
of  Asgard. 

"  Why  does  this  stupid  giant  sit 
here  in  Asgard  drinking  our  wine  as 
if  he  were  a  god  ?  "  shouted  Thor, 
glaring  at  Hrungner  as  if  he  would 
smite  him  on  the  spot;  but  Hrung- 
ner, full  of  drunken  courage,  glared 
back  at  Thor. 

10  145 


Norse  Stories 

"  I  came  here  with  Odin,"  he 
growled,  "  and  the  hospitality  of  the 
gods  will  suffer  more  than  I  if  a  hand 
is  laid  on  me." 

"  You  may  rue  that  hospitality  be- 
fore you  are  out  of  Asgard,"  was  the 
angry  reply  of  Thor. 

"  Small  honour  to  you  if  you  slay 
me  here  unarmed  and  solitary  ;  if  you 
want  to  prove  your  boasted  valour 
meet  me  face  to  face  at  Grjottungard. 
Foolish  it  was  in  me  to  leave  my 
shield  and  flint-stone  at  home  ;  had  I 
those  weapons  I  would  challenge  you 
to  fight  me  here  and  now,  but  if  you 
kill  me  unarmed  I  proclaim  you  a 
coward  in  the  face  of  all  Asgard." 

"  I  will  meet  you,  braggart,  when 
and  where  you  will,"  hotly  retorted 
Thor,  whom  no  giant  had  ever  be- 
fore challenged  to  a  holmgang^  or 
single  combat.  And  Hrungner  got 
146 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

himself  safely  out  of  Asgard  and 
journeyed  as  fast  as  he  could  to 
Jotunheim  to  make  ready  for  the 
fight. 

When  the  news  of  these  things 
spread  there  was  nothing  heard  of 
among  the  giants  but  Hrungner's 
journey  and  the  holmgang  he  was  to 
fight  with  Thor.  Nobody  thought 
or  talked  of  anything  else,  for  if 
Hrungner,  the  most  powerful  of 
them  all,  should  be  beaten,  Thor 
would  never  cease  to  make  war  upon 
them.  Long  and  earnest  was  the 
talk  among  the  giants,  for  Thor's  ter- 
rible hammer  had  often  rung  among 
the  hills,  and  they  dreaded  the  flash 
of  it  through  the  air  and  the  crash 
of  it  as  it  fell  smiting  and  crush- 
ing whatsoever  opposed  it.  To  give 
Hrungner  courage  they  built  an  im- 
mense giant  of  clay  at  Grjottungard, 


Norse  Stories 

but  they  could  find  no  heart  big 
enough  for  such  a  huge  body,  and 
so  they  were  obliged  at  last  to  use 
a  mare's  heart,  which  fluttered  and 
throbbed  terribly  when  Thor  came; 
for  it  is  the  heart  and  not  the  size  of 
the  body  which  makes  one  strong 
and  great.  The  clay  giant,  when 
finished,  was  so  vast  that  the  shadow 
of  him  was  like  a  cloud  upon  the 
landscape.  When  all  was  ready 
Hrungner  stood  beside  the  false 
giant  ready  for  the  fight,  and  a  ter- 
rible foe  he  was,  too  ;  for  his  heart 
was  as  hard  as  rock,  his  head  was  of 
stone,  and  so  was  the  great  broad 
shield  he  held  before  him.  And 
swung  on  his  shoulder  was  the  huge 
flint-stone  which  he  meant  to  hurl 
at  Thor. 

Thor  meanwhile  was  on  his  way 
to    Grjottungard    with    his    servant 
148 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

Thjalfe,  and  Thjalfe  ran  ahead,  and 
when  he  saw  Hrungner,  called  out, 
"You  stand  unguarded,  giant;  you 
hold  your  shield  before  you,  and 
Thor  has  seen  you,  and  will  come 
violently  upon  you  from  beneath 
the  earth." 

Then  Hrungner  threw  his  shield 
on  the  ground  and  stood  upon 
it,  grasping  the  flint-stone  in  both 
hands. 

In  a  moment  the  sky  began  to 
darken  with  rushing  clouds,  broad 
flashes  of  lightning  blazed  across  the 
heavens,  and  deafening  peals  of 
thunder  rolled  crashing  over  the 
terror-stricken  earth.  Striding  from 
cloud  to  cloud,  swinging  his  terrible 
hammer  in  an  awful  uproar  of  light- 
ning and  storm,  Thor  came  rushing 
on  in  all  his  godlike  might.  The 
heavens  were  on  fire,  the  mountains 
149 


Norse  Stories 

shook  on  their  foundations,  and  the 
earth  rocked  to  and  fro  as  the  god 
of  strength  moved  on  to  battle. 

Poor  Mokkerkalfe,  the  clay  giant, 
was  so  frightened  that  the  perspi- 
ration poured  in  streams  from  his 
great  body,  and  his  cowardly  heart 
fluttered  like  an  imprisoned  bird. 
Then  Thor,  swinging  the  flashing 
hammer  with  all  his  might,  hurled  it 
at  Hrungner,  and  on  the  very  in- 
stant the  giant  flung  the  flint-stone. 
The  two  rushed  like  meteors  and 
met  with  a  tremendous  crash  in  mid- 
air. The  flint-stone  broke  in  pieces, 
one  falling  to  the  ground  and  mak- 
ing a  mountain  where  it  lay,  and 
the  other  striking  Thor  with  such 
force  that  he  fell  full-length  on  the 
ground ;  but  the  terrible  hammer 
struck  Hrungner  in  the  very  centre 
of  his  forehead,  crushed  his  head 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

into  small  pieces,  and  threw  him 
with  his  foot  across  Thor's  neck. 
Thjalfe  meanwhile  had  thrown  him- 
self on  Mokkerkalfe,  and  the  clay 
giant,  like  a  great  many  other  sham 
giants,  fell  into  pieces  at  the  very 
first  blow ;  and  so  Thor  was  victor 
of  the  holmgang. 

But  how  was  Thor  to  get  up  ? 
The  dead  giant's  foot  lay  across  his 
neck,  and,  try  as  he  might  with  all 
his  strength,  he  could  not  lift  it  off. 
Then  Thjalfe  came  and  tried  in  vain 
to  set  Thor  free  ;  and  when  the  gods 
heard  of  the  trouble  Thor  was  in 
they  all  came,  and  one  by  one  tried 
to  lift  Hrungner's  foot,  and  not  one 
of  them  could  do  it ;  so  although 
Thor  had  killed  the  giant  it  looked 
as  if  the  giant  had  beaten  him  too. 
After  a  time  Thor's  little  son  Magne, 
or  strength,  came  that  way.  He 


Norse  Stories 

was  only  three  days  old,  but  he 
walked  quickly  up  to  his  father, 
quietly  lifted  the  immense  foot  and 
threw  it  on  the  ground  as  if  it  were 
the  easiest  thing  in  the  world,  saying 
as  he  did  so,  "It  was  a  great  mishap 
that  I  came  so  late,  father ;  for  I 
believe  I  could  have  slain  this  giant 
with  my  fist." 

Thor  rose  up  quickly  and  greeted 
his  son  as  if  he  were  prouder  of  him 
than  of  the  slaying  of  the  giant,  and 
declared  that  he  should  have  the 
giant's  beautiful  horse  Goldfax  for  a 
reward ;  but  Odin  would  not  listen 
to  it,  and  so  Magne  had  to  content 
himself  with  his  father's  praise  and 
the  glory  of  his  wonderful  deed. 

Even  now  Thor's  troubles  were 
not  ended,  for  the  piece  of  flint-stone 
which  struck  his  head  so  violently  that 
it  threw  him  to  the  ground  remained 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

imbedded  in  it,  and  made  the  strong 
god  so  much  trouble  that  when  he 
had  reached  Thrudvang,  or  thunder- 
world,  he  sent  for  the  sorceress 
Groa,  the  wife  of  the  wise  Orvandel, 
that  she  might  remove  the  unwieldy 
stone.  Groa  came  with  all  her  wis- 
dom and  began  weaving  magic  spells 
about  Thor,  and  singing  strange 
incantations  to  the  most  weird  and 
mysterious  airs  in  the  world,  until 
the  flint-stone  became  entirely  loose. 
When  he  felt  the  stone  gradually 
loosened,  and  knew  that  Groa  could 
take  it  out  in  a  moment,  Thor  was 
so  glad  that  he  tried  to  think  how 
he  might  reward  her  in  some  way 
for  the  good  service  she  had  done 
him ;  and  as  even  a  god  cannot  give 
anything  greater  than  happiness,  he 
bethought  himself  of  something  which 
would  make  her  very  happy.  So  he 


Norse  Stories 

began  to  speak  of  Orvandel,  who 
had  long  been  absent  from  her,  and 
whom  she  greatly  loved.  He  told 
her  that  he  had  entered  Jotunheim 
from  the  north,  wading  the  deep 
rivers,  and  had  secreted  Orvandel  in 
a  basket,  and  so  borne  him  out  of 
the  giant's  country,  and  that  as  they 
journeyed  along  in  the  bitter  weather 
one  of  Orvandel's  toes  protruded 
from  the  basket  and  was  frozen,  and 
he,  Thor,  broke  it  off  and  threw  it 
into  the  shining  sky,  where  it  had 
become  the  star  called  "  Orvandel's 
Toe "  ;  and  then  he  added  that 
Orvandel  would  shortly  come  to  his 
home  again. 

When  Groa  heard  this  news  of 
her  husband  she  was  filled  with  such 
joy  that  all  her  magical  songs  and 
wonderful  incantations  went  straight 
out  of  her  head  and  she  could  not 


How  Thor  fought  the  Giant 

get  them  back  again,  and  the  stone 
remains  in  Thor's  head  to  this  day. 
And  this  is  the  reason  why  no 
one  must  ever  throw  a  flint-stone 
across  the  floor,  because  when  this 
happens  the  stone  in  Thor's  head 
moves,  and  the  strong  god  is  very 
uncomfortable. 


Chapter    XII 

The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

LOKE  looked  like  a  god  and  had 
many  of  the  wonderful  gifts 
which  the  gods  possessed,  but  at 
heart  he  was  one  of  those  giants 
who  were  always  trying  to  cross 
Bifrost,  the  shining  rainbow-bridge, 
at  the  heavenly  end  of  which  Heim- 
dal  kept  guard  day  and  night,  with 
eyes  so  keen  that  in  the  darkness  as 
easily  as  in  the  light  he  could  see  a 
hundred  miles  distant,  and  with  ears 
so  sharp  that  he  could  hear  the  noise- 
less blossoming  of  the  grass  in  the 
deepest  valley,  and  the  growing  of 
the  wool  upon  the  backs  of  sheep 
browsing  along  the  hill-tops.  Loke 
156 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

had  the  mind  of  the  gods,  who  were 
always  working  to  bring  order  and 
beauty  into  the  world,  but  he  had 
the  heart  of  the  giants,  who  were 
striving  to  undo  the  good  and  cover 
the  earth  with  howling  storms  and 
icy  desolation.  After  he  had  been 
in  Asgard  for  a  time  he  wanted  to 
get  back  to  Jotunheim,  where  his 
true  home  was.  There  he  married 
a  terrible  giantess,  and  three  children 
were  born  to  him  more  repulsive 
than  their  mother,  —  Hel,  the  Mid- 
gard-serpent,  and  the  Fenris-wolf. 
These  monsters  grew  to  be  very 
strong  and  horrible  to  look  upon 
before  the  gods  thought  of  destroy- 
ing them ;  but  one  day,  as  Odin 
looked  over  the  worlds  from  his 
throne,  a  shadow  fell  upon  his  face, 
for  he  saw  how  powerful  the  chil- 
dren of  Loke  were  becoming,  and  he 
'57 


Norse  Stories 

knew  they  would  work  endless  mis- 
chief and  misery  for  gods  and  men  ; 
so  he  sent  some  of  the  gods  to  bring 
the  monsters  to  Asgard.  It  was  a 
strange  sight  when  Loke's  children 
were  brought  into  heaven,  —  Hel's 
terrible  face  turning  into  stone  every 
one  who  looked,  unless  he  were  a 
god ;  the  Midgard-serpent  coiling 
its  immense  length  into  great  circles 
over  which  the  glittering  eyes  wan- 
dered restlessly ;  and  the  Fenris- 
wolf  growling  with  a  deep,  cruel 
voice.  Odin  looked  sternly  at 
Loke,  the  evil  god  who  had  brought 
such  savage  beings  among  men,  and 
then  with  a  dark  brow  he  cast  Hel 
down  into  the  dusky  kingdoms  of 
the  dead,  and  hurled  the  snake  into 
the  deep  sea,  where  he  grew  until  he 
coiled  around  the  whole  earth ;  but 
Fenrer,  the  wolf,  was  permitted  to 
'58 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

grow  up  in  Asgard.  He  was  so 
fierce  that  only  Tyr,  the  sword-god, 
could  feed  him.  He  roamed  about 
Asgard,  his  huge  body  daily  growing 
stronger,  and  his  hungry  eyes  flash- 
ing more  and  more  fiercely. 

After  a  time  another  shadow  fell 
upon  Odin's  face,  for  Fenrer  was 
fast  becoming  the  most  terrible 
enemy  of  the  gods,  and  the  oracles 
who  could  look  into  the  future,  said 
that  at  the  last  great  battle  he  would 
destroy  Odin  himself.  So  Odin 
called  all  the  gods  together,  and  as 
they  came  into  the  great  hall  the 
wolf  crouched  at  the  door,  with  a 
look  that  made  even  their  strong 
hearts  shudder. 

"  Our  most  dangerous  enemy  is 
growing  stronger  every  day  under 
our  roof  and  by  our  hands,"  said 
Odin,  "  and  we  shall  cease  to  be 


Norse  Stories 

gods  if  we  are  so  blind  as  to  nourish 
our  own  destroyer." 

"  Kill  him  !  "  muttered  some  one. 

"  No,"  said  Odin ;  "  although  he 
is  to  devour  me,  no  blood  shall  stain 
the  sacred  seats  of  the  gods." 

"  Chain  him  ! "  said  Thor. 

That  was  a  good  plan,  they  all 
agreed,  but  how  was  it  to  be  done  ? 

"  Leave  that  to  me,"  answered 
Thor,  full  of  courage,  for  he  had  done 
many  wonderful  things,  and  there 
was  nothing  of  which  he  was  afraid. 

That  night  the  fires  in  the  great 
smithy  blazed  and  roared  so  fiercely 
that  the  heavens  far  around  were 
lighted  with  the  glow,  and  in  the 
dusky  light  the  strong  forms  of 
the  gods  moved  to  and  fro  as  they 
worked  on  the  chain  with  which  they 
meant  to  bind  the  Fenris-wolf.  All 
night  Thor's  mighty  strokes  rang 
160 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

on  the  hard  iron,  and  when  the 
morning  came  the  chain  was  done, 
and  they  called  it  Leding.  Then 
the  gods  called  Fenrer,  spread  out 
the  chain,  and  asked  him  to  show 
his  wonderful  strength  by  break- 
ing it. 

The  wolf  knew  better  than  the 
gods  how  strong  he  had  grown,  and 
that  the  breaking  of  Leding  would 
be  a  very  small  matter  for  him ;  so 
he  permitted  them  to  bind  the  great 
links  around  his  shaggy  body  and 
about  his  feet,  and  to  rivet  the  ends 
so  fast  that  it  seemed  as  if  nothing 
on  earth  could  ever  break  them 
apart  again.  When  it  was  all  done, 
and  Thor's  eyes  were  beginning  to 
smile  at  his  success,  the  wolf  got 
quietly  upon  his  feet,  stretched  him- 
self as  easily  as  if  a  web  of  silk  were 
cast  over  him,  snapped  the  massive 
"  161 


Norse  Stories 

chain  in  a  dozen  places,  and  walked 
off,  leaving  the  gods  to  gather  up 
the  broken  links. 

"  He  has  grown  terribly  strong," 
said  Odin,  looking  at  the  great  pieces 
of  iron. 

"Yes,"  answered  sturdy  Thor, 
"  stronger  than  I  thought ;  but  I 
will  forge  another  chain,  which  even 
he  cannot  break." 

Again  the  red  glow  shone  in  the 
sky  over  Asgard,  the  fires  flashed  and 
blazed,  and  the  great  hammers  rang 
far  into  the  night,  and  the  next  day 
the  mighty  chain  Drome,  twice  as 
strong  as  Leding,  was  finished. 

"  Come,  Fenrer,"  said  Thor,  "  you 
are  already  famous  for  your  strength  ; 
but  if  you  can  break  this  chain  no 
one  will  ever  be  able  to  deny  your 
strength,  and  you  will  win  great  hon- 
our among  gods  and  men." 
162 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

The  wolf  growled  as  he  looked  at 
the  great  chain,  for  he  knew  that  the 
gods  feared  him  and  wanted  to  make 
him  harmless.  He  knew  also  that 
he  could  break  the  chain  which  they 
had  forged  with  so  much  toil  to  bind 
him  with,  and  so  he  let  them  fasten 
him  as  before.  When  all  was  done, 
the  gods  began  to  smile  again,  for 
they  had  made  the  strongest  chain  that 
ever  was  or  could  be  made,  and  now 
surely  the  wolf  was  forever  harmless. 

But  Fenrer  knew  better  than  they. 
He  rose  slowly,  with  the  massive  links 
bound  closely  about  him,  shook  him- 
self fiercely,  stretched  himself,  and  then 
with  a  mighty  effort  dashed  himself  on 
the  ground;  the  earth  shook,  the  chain 
burst,  and  its  links  flew  through  the 
air  and  buried  themselves  in  the 
ground,  so  tremendous  was  the  effort 
with  which  the  wolf  freed  himself. 
163 


Norse  Stories 

A  fierce  joy  gleamed  in  his  eyes  as  he 
walked  away  with  deep  growls,  leav- 
ing the  gods  to  console  themselves 
as  best  they  might,  for  there  were  no 
more  chains  to  be  made. 

Long  and  anxiously  they  talked  to- 
gether, but  no  one  could  think  of 
anything  which  could  hold  Fenrer 
until  Odin  called  to  Skirner,  Frey's 
swiftest  messenger :  "  Go  to  Svartalf- 
heim  as  fast  as  the  flash  of  Thor's 
hammer,  and  the  dwarfs  shall  make 
us  an  enchanted  chain  which  even  he 
cannot  break.'* 

Skirner  was  off  almost  before  Odin 
had  done  speaking.  Travelling  over 
land  and  sea  he  soon  came  to  the 
dark  entrance  of  the  under-world 
where  the  dwarfs  lived,  and  in  a  very 
short  time  he  was  in  the  dusky  home 
of  the  wonderful  little  workers  in  iron. 
They  were  rushing  about  with  black 
164 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

faces  and  dirty  hair  when  Skirner 
called  them  together  and  said,  "  You 
must  make  for  the  gods  an  enchanted 
chain  so  slight  that  Fenrer  will  be  will- 
ing to  be  bound  by  it,  and  so  strong 
that  when  he  has  allowed  himself  to 
be  tied  he  cannot  break  loose  again." 
The  dwarfs  whispered  together  for 
a  few  moments,  and  then  scattered  in 
every  direction ;  for  they  were  going 
to  make  the  most  wonderful  chain 
that  was  ever  put  together,  and  there 
were  many  things  to  be  looked  after 
before  it  could  be  done.  Skirner  sat 
in  the  darkness  until  the  busy  little 
workers  had  finished  the  band,  and 
then  he  carried  it  quickly  to  Asgard, 
where  all  the  gods  were  waiting 
anxiously  for  his  coming  and  Fenrer 
was  stealthily  stealing  from  place  to 
place  through  the  city.  Skirner 
spread  the  string  out  for  the  gods  to 
165 


Norse  Stories 

look  at,  and  they  could  hardly  believe 
it  was  strong  enough.  It  was  very 
long,  but  so  small  and  soft  that  it 
seemed  no  more  than  silken  twine ; 
it  was  made  out  of  such  things  as  the 
sound  of  a  cat's  footsteps,  the  roots 
of  the  mountains,  the  breath  of  a  fish, 
and  the  sinews  of  a  bear,  and  nothing 
could  break  it. 

The  gods  were  so  happy  in  the 
hope  of  being  relieved  of  their  enemy 
that  they  could  not  thank  Skirner 
enough.  They  all  went  to  a  rocky 
island  in  a  lake  called  Amsvartner, 
taking  the  wolf  with  them.  Thor 
showed  the  silken  twine  to  Fenrer. 
"You  have  broken  Leding  and 
Drome,"  he  said,  "  and  now  you  will 
break  this  also,  although  it  is  some- 
what stronger  than  one  would  think, 
to  look  at  it." 

Then  he  handed  the  magic  cord 
166 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

from  one  god  to  another  and  each 
tried  to  break  it,  but  no  one  succeeded. 

"We  cannot  do  it,"  they  all  said 
after  it  had  been  handed  around  the 
circle,  "  but  Fenrer  can." 

The  wolf  looked  at  it  suspiciously. 

"  It  is  such  a  slender  thread,"  he 
answered,  "  that  I  shall  get  no  credit 
if  I  break  it ;  and  if  it  is  made  with 
magic,  slight  as  it  looks  I  shall  never 
get  loose  from  it  again." 

The  gods  looked  at  one  another 
and  smiled. 

"  Oh,  you  will  easily  break  so 
slim  a  band  as  that,"  they  replied, 
"  since  you  have  already  broken  the 
heaviest  chains  in  the  world;  and 
if  you  cannot  break  it  we  will  loosen 
you  again." 

"If  you  bind  me  so  fast  that  I 
am  not  able  to  get  myself  free,  I 
shall  get  little  help  from  you,"  said 
167 


Norse  Stories 

the  wolf  truthfully  enough.  "  I  am 
very  unwilling  to  have  this  twine 
bound  about  me ;  but  that  you  may 
not  be  able  to  call  me  cowardly,  I 
will  do  it  if  some  one  of  you  will  lay 
his  hand  in  my  mouth  as  a  pledge 
that  there  is  no  deceit  about  this 
thing." 

The  gods  looked  at  each  other 
when  they  heard  these  words.  Fen- 
rer  had  spoken  the  truth,  there  was 
no  denying  that.  He  must  be 
chained  now,  however,  or  they  would 
all  be  destroyed ;  but  who  would 
lose  a  hand  to  save  the  rest?  Thor's 
hands  were  needed  to  swing  the  ham- 
mer against  the  giants,  and  every- 
body could  think  of  some  very  good 
reason  why  his  hand  should  not  be 
lost.  There  was  an  awful  pause,  and 
then  Tyr,  the  god  of  honour  and 
courage,  who  had  never  stood  still 
168 


The  Binding  of  the  Wolf 

when  he  ought  to  go  forward, 
stretched  out  his  right  hand  and 
laid  it  in  the  wolfs  hungry  mouth. 
Then  the  gods  bound  the  slender 
cord  tightly  around  Fenrer,  fold  on 
fold,  winding  its  whole  length  about 
him  and  tying  the  ends  tightly 
together.  It  was  so  slight  that  it 
seemed  as  if  it  must  break  in  fifty 
places  as  soon  as  the  wolf  began  to 
stretch  himself.  So  perhaps  thought 
Fenrer  himself;  but  the  harder  he 
strove  to  break  loose,  the  closer  the 
cord  drew  about  him.  He  sprang 
from  side  to  side,  he  threw  himself 
on  the  ground,  he  stretched  his 
mighty  limbs  with  all  his  strength, 
but  the  twine  only  cut  the  deeper. 
Then  a  mighty  rage  filled  the  wolf 
because  he  had  suffered  himself  to  be 
deceived,  his  eyes  flamed  with  fury, 
and  the  foam  ran  out  of  his  mouth. 
169 


Norse  Stories 

The  gods  were  so  delighted  when  they 
found  the  wolf  really  fast  at  last  that 
they  began  to  laugh,  all  except  brave 
Tyr,  who  lost  his  right  hand. 

They  took  the  wonderful  silken 
chain  and  drew  it  through  the  middle 
of  a  rock  and  sunk  the  rock  so  deep 
in  the  earth  that  nothing  but  an 
earthquake  could  stir  it.  Fenrer, 
wild  with  pain  and  rage,  rushed 
from  side  to  side  so  violently  that 
the  earth  rocked  beneath  him,  and 
opening  his  tremendous  jaws  sprang 
upon  the  gods ;  whereupon  they 
thrust  a  sword  into  his  cruel  jaws 
so  that  the  hilt  stood  on  his  lower 
jaw  and  the  point  pierced  the  roof 
of  the  mouth. 

So  the  Fenris-wolf  was  bound  and 
made  fast   to   the  rocky  island,   his 
jaws  spread   far  apart,   foaming  and 
growling  until  the  last  great  day. 
170 


Chapter  XIII 

Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

THOR  made  many  journeys  and 
had  many  strange  adven- 
tures; but  there  was  one  journey 
which  was  more  wonderful  than  all 
the  others,  and  which  proves,  more- 
over, that  the  strongest  and  truest 
are  sometimes  deceived  by  those  who 
are  weaker  than  themselves.  The 
giants  in  old  Norse  times  were  not 
easy  to  conquer;  but  generally  it 
was  when  they  hid  themselves  be- 
hind lies  and  appeared  to  be  what 
they  were  not  that  they  succeeded 
for  a  time.  Thor's  strength  was  a 
noble  thing  because  he  used  it  to 
help  men ;  but  his  truthfulness  and 
honesty  were  nobler  still. 
171 


Norse  Stories 

One  morning,  just  as  the  sun  was 
beginning  to  shine  through  the  mists 
that  overhung  the  world,  the  gates 
of  Asgard  opened  and  Thor's  chariot, 
drawn  by  the  goats,  rattled  along  the 
road.  Thor  and  Loke  were  evidently 
off  for  a  journey ;  but  Thor  was 
always  going  off  somewhere,  and  no- 
body who  saw  him  now  thought  that 
he  was  starting  out  to  try  his  strength 
with  the  most  powerful  things  in  the 
whole  earth.  Nor  did  he  know  it. 
All  day  long  the  chariot  rolled  across 
the  level  stretches  of  meadow  and 
through  the  valleys,  leaving  the  echoes 
shouting  to  each  other  from  the  over- 
hanging mountains  as  it  passed  by. 
At  night  it  stopped  at  the  house  of  a 
poor  peasant,  and  Thor  stepped  down 
and  stood  in  the  doorway. 

"  Can    you   lodge    two    travellers 
over  night  ? "  he  asked. 
172 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

"Certainly,"  said  the  peasant,  "but 
we  can  give  you  nothing  to  eat,  for 
we  have  nothing  for  ourselves." 

"  Give  yourselves  no  trouble  about 
that,"  answered  Thor  cheerfully ;  "  I 
can  provide  for  all." 

He  went  back  to  Loke,  who  got 

'  O 

out  of  the  chariot ;  and  then,  to  the 
great  astonishment  of  the  people  in 
the  house,  Thor  killed  both  his  goats, 
and  in  a  minute  they  were  ready  for 
cooking.  The  great  pot  was  soon 
sending  savory  odours  through  the 
house,  and  the  whole  family  with 
their  strange  guests  sat  down  shortly 
to  a  bountiful  supper. 

"The  more  you  eat  the  better 
I  shall  like  it,"  said  Thor,  as  they 
took  their  places  at  the  table,  "  but 
do  not  on  any  account  break  the 
bones  ;  when  you  have  done  with 
them  throw  them  into  the  skins 


Norse  Stories 

which    I    have   spread   out   on    the 
hearth." 

The  peasant  and  his  wife  and 
Thjalfe  and  Roskva,  their  two  chil- 
dren, ate  bountifully ;  but  Thjalfe 
broke  one  of  the  bones  to  get  the 
marrow.  The  next  morning  Thor 
was  up  with  the  sun,  and  when  he 
dressed  himself  he  took  the  hammer 
and  held  it  over  the  goat-skins  :  and 
immediately  the  bones  flew  into  place, 
and  the  skins  covered  them,  and 
there  were  the  two  goats  as  full  of 
life  as  when  they  started  out  the 
day  before.  But  one  of  the  goats 
limped ;  and  when  Thor  saw  it  he 
was  so  angry  that  he  looked  like  a 
thunder-cloud,  and  his  fingers  closed 
so  tightly  round  Mjolner  that  his 
knuckles  were  white.  Thjalfe,  who 
had  been  looking  with  the  rest  of  the 
family  in  speechless  wonder,  was 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

frightened  half  out  of  his  wits  when 
he  saw  Thor's  rage,  and  would  have 
run  away  if  he  could.  The  poor 
peasant  and  his  wife  were  equally 
terrified,  and  besought  Thor  that  he 
would  not  destroy  them.  t  Seeing 
them  in  such  misery  Thor's  anger 
died  out,  and  he  said  he  would  for- 
give them,  but  Thjalfe  and  Roskva 
must  henceforth  be  his  servants.  So 
taking  the  two  children,  and  leaving 
the  goats  with  their  parents  for  safe 
keeping,  Thor  and  Loke  set  out 
again. 

Thor  had  decided  to  go  to  Jotun- 
heim,  and  all  the  morning  they  trav- 
elled eastward  until  they  reached  the 
shore  of  the  sea.  They  crossed  the 
wide  waters  quickly  and  climbed  up 
on  the  further  shore  of  Jotunheim. 
Mists  floated  over  the  land,  and  great 
rocks  rose  along  the  coast  so  stern 


Norse  Stories 

and  black  from  the  wash  of  the  sea 
and  the  fury  of  storms  that  they 
seemed  like  strong  giants  guarding 
their  country  against  the  giant-queller. 
Thor  led  the  way,  and  they  soon 
entered  a  deep  forest  through  which 
they  travelled  until  nightfall,  Thjalfe, 
who  was  very  fleet  of  foot,  carrying 
the  sack  of  provisions.  As  night 
came  on  they  looked  about  for  shel- 
ter, and  came  upon  an  immense 
building  with  a  whole  side  opening 
into  a  great  room  off  which  they 
found  five  smaller  rooms.  This  was 
just  what  he  wanted,  although  they 
could  not  imagine  why  any  one  had 
built  such  a  house  in  that  lonely 
place.  After  supper,  weary  with  the 
long  journey,  they  were  soon  in  a 
deep  sleep. 

Three    or    four    hours    went    by 
quietly  enough,  but  about  midnight 
176 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

they  were  suddenly  awakened  by  an 
awful  uproar,  which  shook  the  build- 
ing to  its  foundations  and  made  the 
whole  earth  tremble.  Thor  called 
the  others  and  told  them  to  go  into 
the  further  rooms.  Half  dead  with 
fright  they  did  so,  but  Thor  stretched 
himself,  hammer  in  hand,  at  the  wide 
entrance.  As  soon  as  there  was  light 
enough  to  see  about  him  Thor  went 
into  the  woods,  and  had  gone  but  a 
little  way  when  he  came  upon  an 
enormous  giant,  fast  asleep,  and  snor- 
ing so  loudly  that  the  very  trees 
shook  around  him.  Thor  quickly 
buckled  on  his  belt  of  strength,  and 
had  no  sooner  done  so  than  the  giant 
awoke  and  sprang  to  his  feet.  The 
whole  earth  shook  under  him,  and 
he  towered  as  far  over  Thor,  as  a 
great  oak  does  over  the  fern  that 
grows  at  its  foot.  Thor  was  never 

12  I77 


Norse  Stories 

frightened,  but  he  had  never  heard 
of  such  a  giant  before  and  he  looked 
at  him  with  honest  surprise. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  said,  after 
looking  up  to  the  great  face  a 
minute. 

"  I  am  Skrymer,"  answered  the 
giant,  "  but  I  don't  need  to  ask  your 
name.  You  are  Thor.  But  what 
have  you  done  with  my  glove  ? " 

And  stretching  out  his  great  hand 
the  giant  picked  up  his  glove,  which 
was  nothing  less  than  the  building 
Thor  and  the  others  had  spent  the 
night  in. 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  me 
travel  with  you  ? "  continued  the 
giant. 

"  Certainly,"  said  Thor,  although 

it  was  plainly  to  be  seen  that  neither 

Thjalfe  nor  Roskva  wanted  such  a 

companion.     Skrymer  thereupon  un- 

178 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

tied  his  sack  and  took  out  his  break- 
fast, and  the  others  followed  his 
example,  taking  care,  however,  to 
put  a  comfortable  distance  between 
themselves  and  their  dangerous  fel- 
low-traveller. After  breakfast  Skry- 
mer  proposed  that  they  should  put 
all  their  provisions  into  one  bag,  to 
which  Thor  consented,  and  they 
started  off,  the  giant  tramping  on 
ahead,  and  carrying  the  sack  on  his 
broad  back. 

All  day  long  he  walked  steadily 
on,  taking  such  tremendous  strides 
that  the  others  could  hardly  keep  up 
with  him.  When  night  came  he 
stopped  under  a  great  oak. 

"There,"  said  he,  throwing  down 
the  sack ;  "  take  that  and  get  some 
supper ;  I  am  going  to  sleep." 

The  words  were  hardly  out  of  his 
mouth  before  he  began  to  snore  as 
179 


Norse  Stories 

loudly  as  the  night  before.  Thor 
took  the  sack,  but  the  harder  he 
tried  to  loosen  the  string  the  tighter 
it  drew,  and  with  all  his  strength  he 
could  not  untie  a  single  knot.  Find- 
ing he  could  not  get  into  the  sack, 
and  hearing  the  giant  snore  so  peace- 
fully at  his  side,  Thor's  anger  blazed 
out,  and  grasping  the  hammer  he 
struck  the  giant  full  on  the  head. 
Skrymer  opened  his  eyes  drowsily. 

"  Did  a  leaf  fall  on  my  head  ?  "  he 
called  out  sleepily,  without  getting 
up.  "  Have  you  had  your  supper 
yet,  and  are  you  going  to  bed  ? " 

In  a  minute  he  was  snoring  again. 
Thor  went  and  lay  down  under  an- 
other oak ;  but  at  midnight  the  giant 
began  to  snore  so  heavily  that  the 
forest  resounded  with  the  noise. 
Thor  was  fairly  beside  himself  with 
rage,  and  swinging  his  hammer  struck 
180 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

Skrymer  such  a  tremendous  blow 
that  the  hammer  sank  to  the  handle 
in  his  head.  The  giant  opened  his 
eyes  and  sat  up. 

"  What  is  the  matter  now  ? "  he 
called  out ;  "  did  an  acorn  fall  on 
my  head?  How  are  you  getting 
on,  Thor?" 

"  Oh,  I  am  just  awake,"  said 
Thor,  stepping  back  quickly.  "  It 
is  only  midnight,  and  we  may  sleep 
awhile  longer." 

Thor  watched  until  the  giant  had 
fallen  asleep  again,  and  just  at  day- 
break dealt  him  the  most  terrible 
blow  that  he  had  ever  given  with  the 
hammer.  It  flashed  through  and 
buried  itself  out  of  sight  in  Skrymer's 
forehead.  The  giant  sprang  on  his 
feet  and  began  to  stroke  his  beard. 

"  Are  there  any  birds  up  there  ?  " 
he  asked,  looking  into  the  oak.  "  I 
181 


Norse  Stories 

thought  a  feather  dropped  on  my 
head.  Are  you  awake,  Thor?  It 
is  full  time  to  dress,  and  you  are 
near  the  end  of  your  journey.  The 
city  of  Utgard  is  not  far  off.  I 
heard  you  whispering  together  that 
I  was  a  man  of  great  stature,  but 
you  will  find  much  larger  men  in 
Utgard.  Take  my  advice,  and  when 
you  get  there  don't  boast  very  much, 
for  they  will  not  take  boasting  from 
such  little  fellows  as  you  are.  You 
would  do  well  to  turn  back  and  go 
home  while  you  have  a  chance ;  but 
if  you  will  go  on,  take  the  road  to 
the  eastward,  —  my  way  takes  me  to 
the  north."  And,  swinging  the  sack 
of  provisions  over  his  shoulder, 
Skrymer  plunged  into  the  forest  and 
was  soon  out  of  sight. 

Thor  and  his  companions  pushed 
on  as  fast  as  they  could  until  noon, 
i8a 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

when  suddenly  a  great  city  rose 
before  them,  on  a'  vast  plain,  the 
walls  of  which  were  so  high  that 
they  had  to  lean  back  as  far  as  they 
could  to  see  the  top.  A  great  gate, 
heavily  barred,  stopped  them  at  the 
entrance ;  but  they  crept  between 
the  bars.  After  going  a  little  dis- 
tance they  came  upon  a  palace,  and 
the  doors  being  open  went  in,  and 
found  themselves  in  a  great  hall  with 
long  seats  on  either  side,  and  on 
these  seats  rows  of  gigantic  men 
larger  than  Skrymer.  When  they 
saw  Utgard-Loke,  who  was  the  king 
of  that  country,  they  saluted  him ; 
but  he  sat  for  a  long  time  without 
taking  any  notice  of  them.  At  last 
smiling  contemptuously  he  said  :  "It 
is  tiresome  for  travellers  to  be  asked 
about  a  long  journey ;  but  if  I  am 
not  mistaken  this  little  fellow  is 
183 


Norse  Stones 

Thor.  Perhaps,  however,  you  are 
really  larger  than  you  seem  to  be. 
What  feats  of  strength  can  you  show 
us  ?  No  one  is  permitted  to  stay 
here  unless  he  excels  in  some  diffi- 
cult thing." 

Hearing  these  words,  in  a  very  in- 
sulting tone,  Loke  answered  loudly, 
"  There  is  one  feat  in  which  no  one 
can  equal  me,  and  I  am  ready  to 
perform  it  at  once.  I  can  devour 
food  faster  than  any  one  here." 

"Truly,  that  would  be  a  feat  if 
you  could  do  it,"  said  the  scornful 
king ;  and  he  called  to  a  man  named 
Loge  to  contend  with  Loke. 

A  great  trough  full  of  meat  was 
placed  in  the  centre  of  the  hall,  and 
commencing  at  either  end  the  con- 
testants began  to  eat  voraciously, 
and  so  fast  that  it  is  disagreeable 
even  to  think  of  it.  They  reached 
184 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

the  middle  of  the  trough  at  exactly 
the  same  moment ;  but  Loke  had 
eaten  only  the  meat,  while  Loge  had 
devoured  meat,  bones,  trough  and 
all.  There  was  nothing  left  on  his 
side,  and  Loke  had  to  confess  him- 
self beaten. 

Then  the  king,  looking  at  Thjalfe, 
asked,  "What  can  you  do,  young 
man?" 

"  I  will  run  a  race  with  any  one 
you  will  select,"  answered  Thjalfe 
promptly. 

"  If  you  can  outrun  any  one  I  can 
select,  it  will  certainly  be  a  splendid 
feat,"  said  Utgard-Loke ;  "  but  you 
must  be  very  swift-footed  to  do  it." 

There  was  a  noble  race-ground  just 
outside  the  palace,  and  every  one  hur- 
ried out  to  see  the  race.  The  king 
called  a  slender  young  fellow  named 
Huge,  and  told  him  to  run  with  Thjalfe. 
185 


Norse  Stories 

There  was  never  such  running 
since  the  world  began.  Thjalfe  ran 
like  the  wind ;  but  Huge  reached 
the  goal  first,  and  turned  about  to 
meet  Thjalfe  as  he  came  breathless 
to  the  post. 

"  You  must  use  your  legs  better 
than  that  if  you  intend  to  win,"  said 
the  king,  as  Thjalfe  walked  back ; 
"  although  you  are  the  fastest  runner 
that  ever  came  here." 

They  ran  a  second  time,  but  when 
Huge  reached  the  goal  and  turned 
around,  Thjalfe  was  a  full  bow-shot 
behind. 

"  Well  run  ! "  shouted  Utgard- 
Loke ;  "  well  run !  a  third  race  shall 
decide  it." 

A   third   time    they   were   at    the 

starting-place    and    again   they    were 

speeding    down    the    course,    while 

everybody  strained  his  eyes  to  look 

186 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

at  them ;  and  a  third  time  Huge 
reached  the  goal  and  turned  to  find 
Thjalfe  not  half-way. 

"  We  have  had  racing  enough  !  " 
cried  the  giants,  and  they  all  went 
back  into  the  palace  again. 

And  now  it  was  Thor's  turn  to 
show  his  wonderful  strength  ;  but  he 
did  not  dream  that  he  was  going  to 
measure  strength  with  the  most  tre- 
mendous forces  in  the  whole  earth. 

"  Your  fame  fills  all  the  worlds, 
Thor,"  called  out  Utgard-Loke, 
when  they  had  seated  themselves  on 
the  benches  along  the  great  hall ; 
"  give  us  some  proof  of  your  won- 
derful power." 

Thor  never  waited  to  be  asked  a 
second  time. 

"  I  will  contend  in  drinking  with 
any    one  you    may  select,"   was  his 
prompt  acceptance  of  the  challenge. 
187 


Norse  Stories 

"  Well  answered,"  said  the  king. 
"  Bring  out  the  great  horn." 

A  giant  went  out,  and  speedily  came 
back  bearing  a  very  deep  horn,  which 
the  king  said  his  men  were  compelled 
to  empty  as  a  punishment. 

"  A  good  drinker  will  empty  that 
horn  at  a  single  draught,"  said 
Utgard-Loke,  as  it  was  rilled  and 
handed  to  Thor ;  "a  few  men  need  to 
drink  twice,  but  only  a  milksop 
needs  a  third  pull  at  it." 

Thor  thought  the  horn  not  over 
large,  although  very  long,  and  as  he 
was  very  thirsty  he  put  it  to  his  lips 
without  further  ado,  and  drank  so 
long  and  deep  that  he  thought  it  cer- 
tainly must  be  empty,  but  when  he 
set  the  horn  down  and  looked  into  it 
he  was  astonished  to  find  that  the 
liquor  rose  almost  as  high  as  when 
he  set  his  lips  to  it. 
1 88 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

"  That  was  fairly  well  drunk," 
said  the  king,  "  but  not  unusually 
so  ;  if  anybody  had  told  me  Thor 
could  do  no  better  than  that  I  would 
not  have  believed  him.  But  of 
course  you  will  finish  it  at  a  second 
draught." 

Thor  said  nothing,  although  he 
was  very  angry,  but  setting  the  horn 
to  his  lips  a  second  time  he  drank 
longer  and  deeper  than  before. 
When  he  had  stopped  to  take 
breath,  and  looked  at  it  again,  he 
had  drunk  less  than  the  first  time. 

"  How  now,  Thor,"  cried  Utgard- 
Loke,  "  you  have  left  more  for  the 
third  draught  than  you  can  manage. 
If  there  are  no  other  feats  which  you 
can  perform  better  than  this  you 
must  not  expect  to  be  considered  as 
great  here  as  among  the  gods." 

Thor  became  very  angry  when  he 
189 


Norse  Stories 

heard  these  words,  and  seizing  the 
horn  he  drank  deep,  fast,  and  furi- 
ously until  he  thought  it  certainly- 
must  be  empty ;  but  when  he  looked 
into  it  the  liquor  had  fallen  so  little 
that  he  could  hardly  see  the  differ- 
ence ;  and  he  handed  it  to  the  cup- 
bearer, and  would  drink  no  more. 

"  It  is  plain,"  spoke  up  the  king 
in  a  very  insulting  tone,  "  that  you 
are  not  so  strong  as  we  thought  you 
were ;  you  cannot  succeed  in  this 
strife,  certainly ;  will  you  try  some- 
thing else  ? " 

"  I  will  certainly  try  something 
else,"  said  Thor,  who  could  not 
understand  why  he  had  failed  to 
drain  the  horn ;  "  but  I  am  sure 
that  even  among  the  gods  such 
draughts  would  not  be  counted 
small.  What  game  do  you  propose 
now  ? " 

190 


"  Oh,  a  very  easy  one,"  replied 
the  king,  "  which,  my  youngsters 
here  make  nothing  of;  simply  to  lift 
a  cat  from  the  floor.  I  should  not 
think  of  asking  you  to  try  it  if  I  did 
not  see  that  you  are  much  less  of  a 
man  than  I  have  always  supposed." 

He  had  no  sooner  said  this  than  a 
large  grey  cat  ran  out  into  the  hall. 
Thor  put  his  hand  under  it  and 
tried  to  lift  it,  but  the  cat  arched 
its  back  as  high  as  Thor  stretched 
his  hands,  and,  do  his  best,  he 
could  only  get  one  foot  off  the  floor. 

"  It  is  just  as  I  expected,"  cried 
Utgard-Loke  in  a  loud  voice ;  "  the 
cat  is  very  large,  and  Thor  is  a  very 
little  fellow  compared  with  the  rest 
of  us." 

Thor's  eyes  flashed  fire.     "  Little 
as  I  am,"  he  shouted,  "  I  challenge 
any  of  you  to  wrestle  with  me." 
191 


Norse  Stories 

Utgard-Loke  looked  up  and  down 
the  benches  as  if  he  would  call  out 
some  one  from  the  two  rows  of 
giants.  Then  he  shook  his  head, 
saying ;  "  There  is  no  one  here  who 
would  not  think  it  child's  play  to 
wrestle  with  you  ;  but  let  some  one 
call  in  Ellie,  my  old  nurse ;  she 
shall  try  her  strength  with  you. 
She  has  brought  many  a  stronger 
man  than  you  to  earth." 

An  old  woman  came  creeping  into 
the  hall,  bent,  wrinkled,  and  tooth- 
less. Thor  seized  her,  but  the 
tighter  his  grasp  became  the  firmer 
she  stood.  Her  thin  arms  gripped 
him  like  a  vise,  her  strength  seemed 
to  grow  as  she  put  it  forth,  and  at 
last  after  a  hard  struggle,  in  which 
Thor  strained  every  muscle  to  the 
breaking  point,  he  sank  on  one 
knee. 

192 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

"  That  is  enough,"  said  Utgard- 
Loke,  and  the  old  woman  crept 
feebly  out  of  the  hall,  leaving  Thor 
stunned  and  bewildered  in  the  midst 
of  the  silent  giants.  There  were  no 
more  trials  of  strength,  and  Thor 
and  his  companions  were  generously 
feasted  after  their  defeats. 

The  next  morning,  after  they  had 
partaken  of  a  bountiful  breakfast  of 
meat  and  drink,  they  started  on  their 
journey  homeward.  Utgard-Loke 
went  with  them  as  far  as  the  gate  of 
the  city,  where  he  stopped. 

"  How  do  you  think  your  journey 
has  turned  out  ?  "  he  asked  Thor ; 
"  and  have  you  met  any  men 
stronger  than  yourself?  " 

"  I  have  brought  shame  upon  my- 
self," answered  Thor  frankly  and 
honestly,  after  his  nature,  "  and  it 
vexes  me  to  think  that  you  will 
'3  193 


Norse  Stories 

hereafter   speak    of    me   as   a   weak 
fellow." 

"  Now  that  you  are  out  of  the 
city  I  will  tell  you  the  truth  about 
these  things,"  said  Utgard-Loke. 
"  If  I  had  known  how  mighty  you 
are  I  would  never  have  allowed  you 
to  enter  the  gates,  and  you  may  be 
very  sure  you  will  never  get  in  a 
second  time.  I  have  beaten  you  by 
deception,  not  by  strength.  I  have 
been  deluding  you  from  the  start. 
In  the  forest  I  tied  the  sack  with  a 
tough  iron  wire  in  such  a  way  you 
could  not  discern  the  secret  of  the 
knot.  Thrice  you  struck  at  me 
with  your  hammer,  and  the  first 
blow,  though  the  lightest,  would 
have  killed  me  had  it  fallen  on  me  ; 
but  each  time  I  slipped  a  mountain 
between  myself  and  the  hammer,  and 
the  blows  made  three  deep  clefts 
194 


Thor's  Wonderful  Journey 

in  its  stony  sides.  I  have  deluded 
you,  too,  in  all  the  trials  of  strength 
and  skill.  Loke  was  very  hungry, 
and  ate  voraciously,  but  he  con- 
tended against  fire  itself,  which  goes 
like  the  wind  and  devours  every- 
thing in  its  path ;  Thjalfe  ran  as 
man  never  ran  before,  but  Huge, 
who  raced  with  him,  was  no  other 
than  my  thought,  and  what  man  is 
so  swift  as  thought  ?  The  horn 
which  you  strove  in  vain  to  empty 
had  its  further  end  in  the  sea,  and  so 
mighty  were  your  draughts  that  over 
the  wide  sea  the  waters  have  sunk  to 
the  ebb.  Your  strength  was  no  less 
wonderful  when  you  lifted  the  cat ; 
when  we  saw  one  foot  raised  from  the 
floor  our  hearts  sank  in  terror,  for 
it  was  the  Midgard-serpent,  encir- 
cling the  whole  earth,  which  you 
really  contended  against,  and  you 
195 


Norse  Stories 

held  it  aloft  so  near  heaven  that  the 
world  was  hardly  enclosed  by  its 
folds.  Most  marvellous  of  all  was 
the  wrestling  with  Ellie,  who  was 
none  other  than  old  age  itself,  who 
sooner  or  later  must  bring  all  things 
to  the  ground.  We  must  part,  I 
hope  never  to  meet  again ;  for  I  can 
only  defend  myself  against  you  by 
spells  of  magic  such  as  these." 

Thor  was  so  enraged  when  he 
heard  these  words  that  he  swung  his 
hammer  high  in  air  to  crush  the  ly- 
ing Utgard-Loke,  but  he  had  van- 
ished, and  when  Thor  turned  to  look 
for  the  city  he  saw  only  a  beauti- 
ful plain  spreading  its  blossoming 
meadows  to  the  far  mountains  ;  and 
he  went  thoughtfully  back  to  Asgard. 


196 


Chapter  XIV 

The  Death  of  Balder 

THERE  was  one  shadow  which 
always  fell  over  Asgard.  Some- 
times in  the  long  years  the  gods  al- 
most forgot  it,  it  lay  so  far  off,  like  a 
dim  cloud  in  a  clear  sky ;  but  Odin 
saw  it  deepen  and  widen  as  he  looked 
out  into  the  universe,  and  he  knew 
that  the  last  great  battle  would  surely 
come,  when  the  gods  themselves 
would  be  destroyed  and  a  long  twi- 
•  light  would  rest  on  all  the  worlds ; 
and  now  the  day  was  close  at  hand. 
Misfortunes  never  come  singly  to 
men,  and  they  did  not  to  the  gods. 
Idun,  the  beautiful  goddess  of  youth, 
whose  apples  were  the  joy  of  all 
197 


Norse  Stories 

Asgard,  made  a  resting  place  for  her- 
self among  the  massive  branches  of 
Ygdrasil,  and  there  every  evening 
came  Brage,  and  sang  so  sweetly  that 
the  birds  stopped  to  listen,  and  even 
the  Norns,  those  implacable  sisters 
at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  were  softened 
by  the  melody.  But  poetry  cannot 
change  the  purposes  of  fate,  and  one 
evening  no  song  was  heard  of  Brage 
or  birds,  the  leaves  of  the  world-tree 
hung  withered  and  lifeless  on  the 
branches,  and  the  fountain  from 
which  they  had  daily  been  sprinkled 
was  dry  at  last.  Idun  had  fallen  into 
the  dark  valley  of  death,  and  when 
Brage,  Heimdal,  and  Loke  went  to 

O     *  ' 

question  her  about  the  future  she 
could  answer  them  only  with  tears. 
Brage  would  not  leave  his  beautiful 

D 

wife  alone  amid  the  dim  shades  that 

crowded  the  dreary  valley,    and   so 

198 


The  Death  of  Balder 

youth  and   genius  vanished  out   of 
Asgard  forever. 

Balder  was  the  most  god-like  of 
all  the  gods,  because  he  was  the 
purest  and  the  best.  Wherever  he 
went  his  coming  was  like  the  coming 
of  sunshine,  and  all  the  beauty  of 
summer  was  but  the  shining  of  his 
face.  When  men's  hearts  were  white 
like  the  light,  and  their  lives  clear 
as  the  day,  it  was  because  Balder  was 
looking  down  upon  them  with  those 
soft,  clear  eyes  that  were  open  win- 
dows to  the  soul  of  God.  He  had 
always  lived  in  such  a  glow  of 
brightness  that  no  darkness  had  ever 
touched  him ;  but  one  morning,  after 
Idun  and  Brage  had  gone,  Balder's 
face  was  sad  and  troubled.  He 
walked  slowly  from  room  to  room  in 
his  palace  Breidablik,  stainless  as  the 
sky  when  April  showers  have  swept 
199 


Norse  Stories 

across  it  because  no  impure  thing 
had  ever  crossed  the  threshold,  and 
his  eyes  were  heavy  with  sorrow.  In 
the  night  terrible  dreams  had  broken 
his  sleep,  and  made  it  a  long  torture. 
The  air  seemed  to  be  full  of  awful 
changes  for  him,  and  for  all  the  gods. 
He  knew  in  his  soul  that  the  shadow 
of  the  last  great  day  was  sweeping 
on ;  as  he  looked  out  and  saw  the 
worlds  lying  in  light  and  beauty, 
the  fields  yellow  with  waving  grain, 
the  deep  fiords  flashing  back  the  sun- 
beams from  their  clear  depths,  the 
verdure  clothing  the  loftiest  moun- 
tains, and  knew  that  over  all  this 
darkness  and  desolation  would  come, 
with  silence  of  reapers  and  birds, 
with  fading  of  leaf  and  flower,  a 
great  sorrow  fell  on  his  heart. 

Balder  could  bear  the  burden  no 
longer.     He  went  out,  called  all  the 
200 


The  Death  of  Balder 

gods  together,  and  told  them  the  ter- 
rible dreams  of  the  night.  Every 
face  was  heavy  with  care.  The 
death  of  Balder  would  be  like  the 
going  out  of  the  sun,  and  after  a 
long,  sad  council  the  gods  resolved 
to  protect  him  from  harm  by  pledg- 
ing all  things  to  stand  between  him 
and  any  hurt.  So  Frigg,  his  mother, 
went  forth  and  made  everything 
promise,  on  a  solemn  oath,  not  to 
injure  her  son.  Fire,  iron,  all  kinds 
of  metal,  every  sort  of  stone,  trees, 
earth,  diseases,  birds,  beasts,  snakes, 
as  the  anxious  mother  went  to  them, 
solemnly  pledged  themselves  that  no 
harm  should  come  near  Balder. 
Everything  promised,  and  Frigg 
thought  she  had  driven  away  the 
cloud ;  but  fate  was  stronger  than  her 
love,  and  one  little  shrub  had  not 
sworn. 

201 


Norse  Stories 

Odin  was  not  satisfied  even  with 
these  precautions,  for  whichever  way 
he  looked  the  shadow  of  a  great 
sorrow  spread  over  the  worlds.  He 
began  to  feel  as  if  he  were  no  longer 
the  greatest  of  the  gods,  and  he  could 
almost  hear  the  rough  shouts  of  the 
frost-giants  crowding  the  rainbow 
bridge  on  their  way  into  Asgard. 
When  trouble  comes  to  men  it  is 
hard  to  bear,  but  to  a  god  who  had 
so  many  worlds  to  guide  and  rule  it 
was  a  new  and  terrible  thing.  Odin 
thought  and  thought  until  he  was 
'  weary,  but  no  gleam  of  light  could 
he  find  anywhere ;  it  was  thick  dark- 
ness everywhere. 

At  last  he  could  bear  the  suspense 
no  longer,  and  saddling  his  horse  he 
rode  sadly  out  of  Asgard  to  Nifl- 
heim,  the  home  of  Hel,  whose  face 
was  as  the  face  of  death  itself.  As 

202 


The  Death  of  Balder 

he  drew  near  the  the  gates,  a  mons- 
trous dog  came  out  and  barked  furi- 
ously, but  Odin  rode  a  little  eastward 
of  the  shadowy  gates  to  the  grave  of 
a  wonderful  prophetess.  It  was  a 
cold,  gloomy  place,  and  the  soul  of 
the  great  god  was  pierced  with  a 
feeling  of  hopeless  sorrow  as  he  dis- 
mounted from  Sleipner,  and  bending 
over  the  grave  began  to  chant  weird 
songs,  and  weave  magical  charms 
over  it.  When  he  had  spoken  those 
wonderful  words  which  could  waken 
the  dead  from  their  sleep,  there  was 
an  awful  silence  for  a  moment,  and 
then  a  faint  ghost-like  voice  came 
from  the  grave. 

"  Who  art  thou  ?  "  it  said.  "  Who 
breaketh  the  silence  of  death,  and 
calleth  the  sleeper  out  of  her  long 
slumbers  ?  Ages  ago  I  was  laid  at 
rest  here,  snow  and  rain  have  fallen 
203 


Norse  Stones 

upon    me    through    myriad    years ; 
why  dost  thou  disturb  me  ? " 

"  I  am  Vegtam,"  answered  Odin, 
"and  I  come  to  ask  why  the  couches 
of  Hel  are  hung  with  gold  and 
the  benches  strewn  with  shining 
rings  ?  " 

"It  is  done  for  Balder,"  answered 

the  awful  voice ;  "  ask  me  no  more." 

Odin's  heart  sank  when  he  heard 

these  words;  but  he  was  determined 

to  know  the  worst. 

"  I  will  ask  thee  until  I  know 
all.  Who  shall  strike  the  fatal 
blow?" 

"  If  I  must,  I  must,"  moaned  the 
prophetess.     "  Hoder  shall  smite  his 
brother  Balder  and  send   him  down 
to    the    dark    home    of  Hel.      The 
mead  is   already  brewed   for   Balder, 
and  the  despair  draweth  near." 
Then     Odin,     looking    into     the 
204 


The  Death  of  Balder 

future  across  the  open  grave,  saw 
all  the  days  to  come. 

"  Who  is  this,"  he  said,  seeing 
that  which  no  mortal  could  have 
seen,  —  "  who  is  this  that  will  not 
weep  for  Balder? " 

Then  the  prophetess  knew  that  it 
was  none  other  than  the  greatest  of 
the  gods  who  had  called  her  up. 

"Thou  art  not  Vegtam,"  she  ex- 
claimed, "  thou  art  Odin  himself, 
the  king  of  men." 

"And  thou,"  answered  Odin 
angrily,  "art  no  prophetess,  but 
the  mother  of  three  giants." 

"  Ride  home,  then,  and  exult  in 
what  thou  hast  discovered,"  said  the 
dead  woman.  "Never  shall  my 
slumbers  be  broken  again  until  Loke 
shall  burst  his  chains  and  the  great 
battle  come." 

And  Odin  rode  sadly  homeward 
205 


Norse  Stories 

knowing  that  already  Niflheim  was 
making  itself  beautiful  against  the 
coming  of  Balder. 

The  other  gods  meanwhile  had 
become  merry  again;  for  had  not 
everything  promised  to  protect  their 
beloved  Balder?  They  even  made 
sport  of  that  which  troubled  them, 
for  when  they  found  that  nothing 
could  hurt  Balder,  and  that  all  things 
glanced  aside  from  his  shining  form, 
they  persuaded  him  to  stand  as  a 
target  for  their  weapons ;  hurling 
darts,  spears,  swords,  and  battle-axes 
at  him,  all  of  which  went  singing 
through  the  air  and  fell  harmless  at 
his  feet.  But  Loke,  when  he  saw 
these  sports,  was  jealous  of  Balder, 
and  went  about  thinking  how  he 
could  destroy  him. 

It  happened  that  as  Frigg  sat 
spinning  in  her  house  Fensal,  the 
206 


The  Death  of  Balder 

soft  wind  blowing  in  at  the  windows 
and  bringing  the  merry  shouts  of  the 
gods  at  play,  an  old  woman  entered 
and  approached  her. 

"  Do  you  know,"  asked  the  new- 
comer, "what  they  are  doing  in 
Asgard?  They  are  throwing  all 
manner  of  dangerous  weapons  at 
Balder.  He  stands  there  like  the 
sun  for  brightness,  and  against  his 
glory,  spears  and  battle-axes  fall 
powerless  to  the  ground.  Nothing 
can  harm  him." 

"  No,"  answered  Frigg  joyfully ; 
"  nothing  can  bring  him  any  hurt,  for 
I  have  made  everything  in  heaven  and 
earth  swear  to  protect  him." 

"  What !"  said  the  old.  woman,  "has 
everything  sworn  to  guard  Balder  ?  " 

"Yes,"    said    Frigg,    "everything 
has    sworn    except    one   little    shrub 
which  is  called  Mistletoe,  and  grows 
207 


Norse  Stories 

on  the  eastern  side  of  Valhal.  I  did 
not  take  an  oath  from  that  because  I 
thought  it  too  young  and  weak." 

When  the  old  woman  heard  this  a 
strange  light  came  into  her  eyes ;  she 
walked  off  much  faster  than  she  had 
come  in,  and  no  sooner  had  she  passed 
beyond  Frigg's  sight  than  this  same 
feeble  old  woman  grew  suddenly  erect, 
shook  off  her  woman's  garments,  and 
there  stood  Loke  himself.  In  a  mo- 
ment he  had  reached  the  slope  east  of 
Valhal,  had  plucked  a  twig  of  the  un- 
sworn Mistletoe,  and  was  back  in  the 
circle  of  the  gods,  who  were  still  at 
their  favourite  pastime  with  Balder. 
Hoder  was  standing  silent  and  alone 
outside  the  noisy  throng,  for  he  was 
blind.  Loke  touched  him. 

"Why  do  you  not  throw  something 
at  Balder?" 

"  Because  I  cannot  see  where  Bal- 
208 


The  Death  of  Balder 

der  stands,  and  have  nothing  to  throw 
if  I  could,"  replied  Hoder. 

"  If  that  is  all,"  said  Loke,  "  come 
with  me.  I  will  give  you  something 
to  throw,  and  direct  your  aim." 

Hoder,  thinking  no  evil,  went  with 
Loke  and  did  as  he  was  told. 

The  little  sprig  of  Mistletoe  shot 
through  the  air,  pierced  the  heart  of 
Balder,  and  in  a  moment  the  beautiful 
god  lay  dead  upon  the  field.  A  shad- 
ow rose  out  of  the  deep  beyond  the 
worlds  and  spread  itself  over  heaven 
and  earth,  for  the  light  of  the  universe 
had  gone  out. 

The  gods  could  not  speak  for  hor- 
ror. They  stood  like  statues  for  a 
moment,  and  then  a  hopeless  wail 
burst  from  their  lips.  Tears  fell  like 
rain  from  eyes  that  had  never  wept 
before,  for  Balder,  the  joy  of  Asgard, 
had  gone  to  Niflheim  and  left  them 
14  209 


Norse  Stories 

desolate.  But  Odin  was  saddest  of 
all,  because  he  knew  the  future,  and 
he  knew  that  peace  and  light  had  fled 
from  Asgard  forever,  and  that  the  last 
day  and  the  long  night  were  hurrying 
on. 

Frigg  could  not  give  up  her  beau- 
tiful son,  and  when  her  grief  had  spent 
itself  a  little,  she  asked  who  would  go 
to  Hel  and  offer  her  a  rich  ransom  if 
she  would  permit  Balder  to  return  to 
Asgard. 

"  I  will  go,"  said  Hermod  ;  swift  at 
the  word  of  Odin  Sleipner  was  led 
forth,  and  in  an  instant  Hermod  was 
galloping  furiously  away. 

Then  the  gods  began  with  sorrow- 
ful hearts  to  make  ready  for  Balder's 
funeral.  When  the  once  beautiful 
form  had  been  arrayed  in  grave-clothes 
they  carried  it  reverently  down  to  the 
deep  sea,  which  lay,  calm  as  a  summer 

2IO 


The  Death  of  Balder 

afternoon,  waiting  for  its  precious  bur- 
den. Close  to  the  water's  edge  lay 
Raider's  Ringhorn,  the  greatest  of  all 
the  ships  that  sailed  the  seas,  but  when 
the  gods  tried  to  launch  it  they  could 
not  move  it  an  inch.  The  great  ves- 
sel creaked  and  groaned,  but  no  one 
could  push  it  down  to  the  water. 
Odin  walked  about  it  with  a  sad  face, 
and  the  gentle  ripple  of  the  little 
waves  chasing  each  other  over  the 
rocks  seemed  a  mocking  laugh  to 
him. 

"  Send  to  Jotunheim  for  Hyrro- 
ken,"  he  said  at  last;  and  a  messen- 
ger was  soon  flying  for  that  mighty 
giantess. 

In  a  little  time,  Hyrroken  came 
riding  swiftly  on  a  wolf  so  large  and 
fierce  that  he  made  the  gods  think  of 
Fenrer.  When  the  giantess  had  a- 
lighted,  Odin  ordered  four  Berserkers 

211 


Norse  Stories 

of  mighty  strength  to  hold  the  wolf, 
but  he  struggled  so  angrily  that  they 
had  to  throw  him  on  the  ground  be- 
fore they  could  control  him.  Then 
Hyrroken  went  to  the  prow  of  the 
ship  and  with  one  mighty  effort  sent 
it  far  into  the  sea,  the  rollers  under- 
neath bursting  into  flame,  and  the 
whole  earth  trembling  with  the  shock. 
Thor  was  so  angry  at  the  uproar  that 
he  would  have  killed  the  giantess  on 
the  spot  if  he  had  not  been  held  back 
by  the  other  gods.  The  great  ship 
floated  on  the  sea  as  she  had  often  done 
before,  when  Balder,  full  of  life  and 
beauty,  set  all  her  sails  and  was  borne 
joyfully  across  the  tossing  seas. 
Slowly  and  solemnly  the  dead  god 
was  carried  on  board,  and  as  Nanna, 
his  faithful  wife,  saw  her  husband 
borne  for  the  last  time  from  the  earth 
which  he  had  made  dear  to  her  and 

212 


The  Death  of  Balder 

beautiful  to  all  men,  her  heart  broke 
with  sorrow,  and  they  laid  her  beside 
Balder  on  the  funeral  pyre. 

Since  the  world  began  no  one  had 
seen  such  a  funeral.  No  bells  tolled, 
no  long  procession  of  mourners  mov- 
ed across  the  hills,  but  all  the  worlds 
lay  under  a  deep  shadow,  and  from 
every  quarter  came  those  who  had 
loved  or  feared  Balder.  There  at  the 
very  water's  edge  stood  Odin  himself, 
the  ravens  flying  about  his  head,  and 
on  his  majestic  face  a  gloom  that  no 
sun  would  ever  lighten  again;  and 
there  was  Frigg,  the  desolate  mother, 
whose  son  had  already  gone  so  far 
that  he  would  never  come  back  to 
her ;  there  was  Frey  standing  sad  and 
stern  in  his  chariot;  there  was  Freyja, 
the  goddess  of  love,  from  whose  eyes 
fell  a  shining  rain  of  tears  ;  there,  too, 
was  Heimdal  on  his  horse  Goldtop ; 
213 


Norse  Stories 

and  around  all  these  glorious  ones 
from  Asgard  crowded  the  children 
of  Jotunheim,  grim  mountain-giants 
seamed  with  scars  from  Thor's  ham- 
mer, and  frost-giants  who  saw  in  the 
death  of  Balder  the  coming  of  that 
long  winter  in  which  they  should 
reign  through  all  the  worlds. 

A  deep  hush  fell  on  all  created 
things,  and  every  eye  was  fixed  on 
the  great  ship  riding  near  the  shore, 
and  on  the  funeral  pyre  rising  from 
the  deck  crowned  with  the  forms  of 
Balder  and  Nanna.  Suddenly  a  gleam 
of  light  flashed  over  the  water ;  the 
pile  had  been  kindled,  and  the  flames, 
creeping  slowly  at  first,  climbed  faster 
and  faster  until  they  met  over  the 
dead  and  rose  skyward.  A  lurid 
light  filled  the  heavens  and  shone  on 
the  sea,  and  in  the  brightness  of  it 
the  gods  looked  pale  and  sad,  and 
214 


The  Death  of  Balder 

the  circle  of  giants  grew  darker  and 
more  portentous.  Thor  struck  the 
fast  burning  pyre  with  his  consecrat- 
ing hammer,  and  Odin  cast  into  it  the 
wonderful  ring  Draupner.  Higher 
and  higher  leaped  the  flames,  more 
and  more  desolate  grew  the  scene ; 
at  last  they  began  to  sink,  the  funeral 
pyre  was  consumed.  Balder  had 
vanished  forever,  the  summer  was 
ended,  and  winter  waited  at  the  doors. 
Meanwhile  Hermod  was  riding 
hard  and  fast  on  his  gloomy  errand. 
Nine  days  and  nights  he  rode  through 
valleys  so  deep  and  dark  that  he 
could  not  see  his  horse.  Stillness  and 
blackness  and  solitude  were  his  only 
companions  until  he  came  to  the 
golden  bridge  which  crosses  the  river 
Gjol.  The  good  horse  Sleipner,  who 
had  carried  Odin  on  so  many  strange 
journeys,  had  never  travelled  such  a 
215 


Norse  Stories 

road  before,  and  his  hoofs  rang  drear- 
ily as  he  stopped  short  at  the  bridge, 
for  in  front  of  him  stood  its  porter, 
the  gigantic  Modgud. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  she  asked,  fix- 
ing her  piercing  eyes  on  Hermod. 
"  What  is  your  name  and  parentage  ? 
Yesterday  five  bands  of  dead  men 
rode  across  the  bridge,  and  beneath 
them  all  it  did  not  shake  as  under 
your  single  tread.  There  is  no  colour 
of  death  in  your  face.  Why  ride 
you  hither,  the  living  among  the 
dead? " 

"  I  come,"  said  Hermod,  "  to  seek 
for  Balder.  Have  you  seen  him  pass 
this  way  ? " 

"He  has  already  crossed  the  bridge 
and  taken  his  journey  northward  to 
Hel." 

Then  Hermod  rode  slowly  across 
the  bridge  that  spans  the  abyss  be- 
216 


The  Death  of  Balder 

tween  life  and  death,  and  found  his 
way  at  last  to  the  barred  gates  of 
Hel's  dreadful  home.  There  he 
sprang  to  the  ground,  tightened  the 
girths,  remounted,  drove  the  spurs 
deep  into  the  horse,  and  Sleipner, 
with  a  mighty  leap,  cleared  the  wall. 
Hermod  rode  straight  to  the  gloomy 
palace,  dismounted,  entered,  and  in  a 
moment  was  face  to  face  with  the 
terrible  queen  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
dead.  Beside  her,  on  a  beautiful 
throne,  sat  Balder,  pale  and  wan, 
crowned  with  a  withered  wreath  of 
flowers,  and  close  at  hand  was  Nanna, 
pallid  as  her  husband,  for  whom  she 
had  died.  And  all  night  long,  while 
ghostly  forms  wandered  restless  and 
sleepless  through  Helheim,  Her- 
mod talked  with  Balder  and  Nanna. 
There  is  no  record  of  what  they  said, 

but  the  talk  was  sad  enough,  doubtless, 
217 


Norse  Stones 

and  ran  like  a  still  stream  among  the 
happy  days  in  Asgard  when  Balder's 
smile  was  morning  over  the  earth 
and  the  sight  of  his  face  the  summer 
of  the  world. 

When  the  morning  came,  faint  and 
dim,  through  the  dusky  palace,  Her- 
mod  sought  Hel,  who  received  him 
as  cold  and  stern  as  fate. 

"  Your  kingdom  is  full,  O  Hel  !  " 
he  said,  "  and  without  Balder,  Asgard 
is  empty.  Send  him  back  to  us 
once  more,  for  there  is  sadness  in 
every  heart  and  tears  are  in  every  eye. 
Through  heaven  and  earth  all  things 
weep  for  him." 

"If  that  is  true,"  was  the  slow,  icy 
answer,  "  if  every  created  thing  weeps 
for  Balder,  he  shall  return  to  Asgard  ; 
but  if  one  eye  is  dry  he  remains 
henceforth  in  Helheim." 

Then  Hermod  rode  swiftly  away, 
218 


The  Death  of  Balder 

and  the  decree  of  Hel  was  soon  told 
in  Asgard.  Through  all  the  worlds 
the  gods  sent  messengers  to  say  that 
all  who  loved  Balder  should  weep 
for  his  return,  and  everywhere  tears 
fell  like  rain.  There  was  weeping  in 
Asgard,  and  in  all  the  earth  there  was 
nothing  that  did  not  weep.  Men  and 
women  and  little  children,  missing  the 
light  that  had  once  fallen  into  their 
hearts  and  homes,  sobbed  with  bitter 
grief;  the  birds  of  the  air,  who  had 
sung  carols  of  joy  at  the  gates  of  the 
morning  since  time  began,  were  full 
of  sorrow;  the  beasts  of  the  fields 
crouched  and  moaned  in  their  desola- 
tion ;  the  great  trees,  that  had  put 
on  their  robes  of  green  at  Balder's 
command,  sighed  as  the  wind  wailed 
through  them  ;  and  the  sweet  flowers, 
that  waited  for  Balder's  footstep  and 
sprang  up  in  all  the  fields  to  greet 
219 


Norse  Stories 

him,  hung  their  frail  blossoms  and 
wept  bitterly  for  the  love  and  the 
warmth  and  the  light  that  had  gone 
out.  Throughout  the  whole  earth 
there  was  nothing  but  weeping,  and 
the  sound  of  it  was  like  the  wailing 
of  those  storms  in  autumn  that  weep 
for  the  dead  summer  as  its  withered 
leaves  drop  one  by  one  from  the 
trees. 

The  messengers  of  the  gods  went 
gladly  back  to  Asgard,  for  every- 
thing had  wept  for  Balder;  but  as 
they  journeyed  they  came  upon  a 
giantess,  called  Thok,  and  her  eyes 
were  dry. 

"  Weep  for  Balder,"  they  said. 

"  With  dry  eyes  only  will  I  weep 
for  Balder,"  she  answered.  "  Dead 
or  alive,  he  never  gave  me  gladness. 
Let  him  stay  in  Helheim." 

When  she  had  spoken  these  words 
220 


The  Death  of  Balder 

a  terrible  laugh  broke  from  her  lips, 
and  the  messengers  looked  at  each 
other  with  pallid  faces,  for  they 
knew  it  was  the  voice  of  Loke. 

Balder  never  came  back  to  Asgard, 
and  the  shadows  deepened  over  all 
things,  for  the  night  of  death  was 
fast  coming  on. 


221 


Chapter  XV 

How  Loke  was  Punished 

IN  the  beginning  Loke  had  been 
the  brother  of  Odin,  and  one 
of  the  foremost  of  the  gods,  but  the 
lawlessness  and  passion  that  were  in 
him  had  won  the  mastery,  and  in 
earth  and  heaven  he  was  fast  bring- 
ing ruin  and  sorrow.  What  the 
hard-hearted  frost-giants  had  always 
tried  to  do  and  failed,  Loke  did ;  for 
in  the  end  the  evil  in  him  destroyed 
Asgard,  and  brought  in  the  long 
winter  of  storm  and  darkness.  It 
was  he  who  stole  Sif's  hair  and 
Freyja's  necklace,  who  persuaded 
Idun  to  go  into  the  woods  that 
the  giant  Thjasse  might  carry  off 
her  apples,  who  stung  the  dwarf 

222 


How  Loke  was  Punished 

so  that  the  handle  of  Thor's  hammer 
was  shortened,  who  induced  Thor  to 
go  on  his  dangerous  journey  to  Geir- 
rod  ;  but  worst  of  all  his  crimes  was 
the  killing  of  Balder,  and  the  refusal 
to  weep  for  him  when  all  the  world 
was  in  tears. 

After  bringing  so  much  sorrow 
upon  others,  suffering  at  last  came  to 
him.  Not  long  after  Balder's  death 
the  sea-god  .ZEger  gave  a  great  feast, 
and  brewed  ale  for  the  gods  in  the 
great  kettle  which  Thor  had  taken 
from  the  giant  Hymer.  All  the 
gods  were  there  save  Thor,  and  they 
tried  to  be  merry,  although  they 
were  sad  enough  at  heart.  In  the 
midst  of  them  sat  Loke,  gloomy  and 
silent,  as  if  his  terrible  crime  had 
drawn  a  black  line  around  him.  The 
feast  went  on  merrily  ;  but  he  seemed 
to  have  no  part  in  it,  for  no  one  spoke 
223 


Norse  Stories 

to  him.  Great  horns  of  ale  passed 
from  hand  to  hand,  and  as  they 
talked  and  feasted  the  gods  forgot 
for  a  moment  the  sorrow  that  lay 
upon  all  the  world. 

"  ./Eger,"  said  one,  "  these  are  good 
servants  of  yours.  They  are  quick 
of  eye  and  foot,  and  one  lacks  noth- 
ing under  their  care." 

Loke  was  so  full  of  rage  that  he 
could  not  endure  that  even  the  ser- 
vants of  the  other  gods  should  be 
praised,  and  with  flashing  eyes  and 
a  face  black  with  hate  he  sprang 
from  his  place  and  struck  the  ser- 
vant nearest  him  so  violently  that 
he  fell .  dead  on  the  floor.  A  silence 
of  horror  fell  on  all  the  gods  at  this 
new  sin,  and  then  with  fierce  indig- 
nation they  drove  him  out,  and  shut 
the  doors  against  him  forever.  Loke 
strode  off  furiously  for  a  little  dis- 
224 


How  Loke  was  Punished 

tance,  and  then  turned  and  came 
back.  The  gods  meantime  had  be- 
come merry  again. 

"  What  are  they  talking  about  ?  " 
he  asked  another  servant  who  was 
standing  without. 

"  They  are  telling  their  great  deeds," 
answered  the  servant ;  "  but  no  one 
has  anything  good  to  say  of  you." 

Maddened  by  these  words,  Loke 
forgot  his  fear  in  a  terrible  rage,  strode 
back  into  the  hall  and  stood  there 
like  a  thunder-cloud ;  when  the  gods 
saw  him  they  became  suddenly  silent. 

"  I  have  travelled  hither  from  a 
long  distance,"  said  he  hoarsely, 
"  and  I  am  thirsty ;  who  will  give 
me  to  drink  of  the  mead  ?  " 

No  one  spoke  or  stirred.  Loke's 
face  grew  blacker. 

"  Why  are  you  all  silent  ? "  he 
cried  ;  "  have  you  lost  your  tongues  ? 
15  225 


Norse  Stones 

Will  you  find  place  for  me  here,  or 
do  you  turn  me  away  ?  " 

Brage  looked  at  him  steadily  and 
fearlessly.  "  The  gods  will  never 
more  make  room  for  you,"  he  said. 

When  he  heard  these  words,  Loke 
ceased  to  look  like  a  god,  for 
the  fury  and  hate  of  a  devil  were  in 
his  face.  He  cursed  the  gods  until 
every  face  was  pale  with  horror. 
Like  an  accusing  conscience  he  told 
them  all  their  faults  and  sins ;  he 
made  them  feel  their  weaknesses  so 
keenly  that  Vidar,  the  silent  god, 
rose  to  give  him  his  seat  and  silence 
him,  but  now  that  his  fury  was  let 
loose  nothing  could  stop  him.  One 
by  one  he  called  each  god  by  his 
name,  and  dragged  his  weaknesses 
into  the  view  of  all,  and  last  of  all  he 
came  to  Sif,  Thor's  wife,  and  cursed 

her;  and  now  a  low  muttering  was 
226 


How  Loke  was  Punished 

heard  afar  off,  and  then  a  distant  roll 
of  thunder  deepening  into  awful  peals 
that  echoed  and  re-echoed  among  the 
hills.  The  gods  sat  silent  in  their 
places,  and  even  Loke  grew  dumb. 
Great  flashes  of  lightning  flamed 
through  the  hall,  and  made  his  dark 
face  more  terrible  to  look  at.  Crash 
followed  close  upon  crash  until  the 
mountains  quaked,  and  the  great  hall 
trembled ;  then  came  a  blinding  flash, 
and  Thor  stood  in  the  midst  swing- 
ing Mjolner,  and  looking  as  if  he 
would  smite  the  world  into  frag- 
ments. He  looked  at  Loke,  and 
Loke,  cowering  before  Thor's  ter- 
rible eyes  of  fire,  walked  out  of  the 
hall  cursing  ^Eger  as  he  went,  and 
wishing  that  flames  might  break  upon 
his  realm  and  devour  it  and  him. 
And  now  Loke,  no  longer  a  god  in 

nature  or  in  rank,  became  an  outcast 
227 


Norse  Stories 

and  a  fugitive  flying  from  the  wrath 
of  the  gods  whom  he  had  insulted 
and  wronged.  He  went  from  place 
to  place  until  he  came  upon  a  deep 
valley  among  the  mountains,  so  en- 
tirely shut  in  that  he  thought  no  one 
from  Asgard  could  ever  look  into  it. 
There  he  built  a  house  in  the  hollows 
of  the  rocks,  with  four  doors  through 
which  he  could  look  in  every  direc- 
tion, so  that  no  one  could  come  near 
his  hiding-place  without  his  knowing 
it.  He  took  on  many  disguises ; 
often  in  the  daytime  he  took  the 
shape  of  a  salmon  and  hid  in  the 
deep  waters,  where  he  floated  solitary 
and  motionless  while  the  gods  were 
searching  for  him  far  and  wide. 

Days  and  weeks  passed  away,  and 
Loke  began  to  think  he  was  safe 
from  the  pursuit  of  his  enemies. 

He  began  to  busy  and  amuse  him- 

228 


How  Loke  was  Punished 

self  as  he  used  to  do  before  he  was 
shut  out  of  Asgard.  He  had  always 
been  a  skilful  fisherman,  and  now,  as 
he  sat  alone  in  his  house  before  the 
fire,  he  took  flax  and  yarn  and  began 
to  knit  the  meshes  of  the  first  net 
that  was  made  since  the  world  began. 
His  eyes  burnt  at  the  thought  of  the 
new  sport  which  he  was  going  to 
have,  and  his  cunning  hand  wove 
thread  after  thread  into  the  growing 
web.  Odin,  looking  down  from  his 
lofty  throne,  saw  the  busy  weaver, 
and  quickly  calling  Thor,  the  strong- 
est, and  Kvaser,  the  keenest  of  the 
gods,  was  soon  on  the  journey  to 
Loke's  home  among  the  mountains. 
Loke  was  so  busy  with  his  net  that 
he  did  not  see  them  until  they  were 
close  at  hand ;  then  he  sprang  up, 
threw  the  net  into  the  fire,  and  run- 
ning to  the  river  changed  himself  into 
229 


Norse  Stories 

a  salmon,  and  dove  deep  into  the 
still  waters.  When  the  gods  entered 
the  house  Loke  was  nowhere  to  be 
found,  but  the  sharp-eyed  Kvaser 
found  the  half-burnt  net  among;  the 

D 

glowing  embers.  He  pulled  it  out 
and  held  it  before  Odin  and  Thor. 

"  I  know  what  it  is,"  he  said  in  a 
moment;  "it  is  a  net  for  fishing; 
Loke  was  always  a  fisherman." 
Then,  as  if  the  thought  had  suddenly 
come  to  him,  he  added,  "  He  has 
changed  himself  into  a  fish  and  is 
hiding  in  that  river." 

Odin  and  Thor  were  rejoiced  to 
find  their  enemy  so  close  at  hand, 
and  they  all  began  to  work  on  the 
half-burnt  net  and  quickly  finished  it. 
Then  they  went  softly  down  to  the 
water,  threw  it  in,  and  drew  it  slowly 
up  the  stream  from  shore  t»  shore. 
But  Loke  swam  between  two  large 
230 


How  Loke  was  Punished 

stones  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  and 
the  net  only  grazed  him  as  it  passed 
over.  The  gods  rinding  the  net 
empty  hung  a  great  stone  on  it,  and, 
going  back  to  the  starting  place,  drew 
it  slowly  up  stream  again.  Never, 
since  the  beginning  of  things,  had 
there  been  such  fishing  before !  The 
noisy  river  rolled  swiftly  down  to 
the  sea,  the  steep  mountains  rose 
on  either  side  and  shut  out  the  sun 
so  that  even  at  mid-day  it  was  like 
twilight.  When  Loke  saw  the  net 
coming  a  second  time  and  found  that 
he  could  not  escape,  he  waited  until 
it  was  close  at  hand,  and  then  with  a 
mighty  leap  shot  over  it  and  plunged 
into  a  waterfall  just  where  the  river 
rushed  into  the  sea. 

The  gods  saw  the  great  fish  leap 
into  thg  air  and  fall  into  the  water, 
and  they  instantly  turned  around  and 
231 


Norse  Stories 

dragged  the  net  toward  the  sea, 
Thor  wading  after  it  in  the  middle 
of  the  stream.  As  the  net  came 
nearer  and  nearer  Loke  saw  that  he 
must  either  swim  out  into  the  sea 
or  leap  back  again  over  the  net. 
He  waited  until  the  shadow  of  the 
net  was  over  him,  and  then  with  a 
mighty  leap  shot  into  the  air  and 
over  the  net;  but  Thor  was  watch- 
ing, and  his  strong  hand  closed  round 
the  shining  fish.  Loke  managed  to 
slip  through  Thor's  fingers,  but  Thor 
held  him  by  the  tail,  and  that,  as  the 
story  goes,  is  the  reason  why  the 
salmon's  tail  is  so  thin  and  pointed. 

Then  the  gods,  glad  at  heart  that 
they  had  caught  the  slayer  of  Balder, 
changed  Loke  into  his  natural  shape 
and  dragged  him  to  a  cavern  in  the 
mountains  near  at  hand,  whe^e  they 
fastened  three  great  rocks,  having 
232 


How  Loke  was  Punished 

pierced  them  first  with  holes.  Loke's 
two  fierce  sons,  Vale  and  Nare,  they 
also  seized,  and  changed  Vale  into  a 
wolf,  and  immediately  he  sprang 
upon  his  brother  and  devoured  him. 
Then  the  gods  bound  Loke,  hand 
and  foot,  to  the  great  stones,  with  iron 
fetters,  and,  to  make  his  punishment 
the  more  terrible,  they  hung  a  ser- 
pent over  him,  which  moment  by  mo- 
ment through  ages  and  ages  dropped 
poison  on  his  face.  Loke's  wife, 
Sigyn,  when  she  saw  his  agony,  stood 
beside  him  and  caught  the  venom  in 
a  cup,  as  it  fell  drop  by  drop ;  but 
when  the  cup  was  full  and  she  turned 
to  empty  it  the  poison  fell  on  Loke, 
and  he  writhed  so  terribly  that  the 
whole  earth  trembled  and  quaked. 
So  Loke  was  punished,  and  so  he 
lay,  chained  and  suffering,  until  the 
last  great  battle  set  him  free. 
233 


Chapter  XVI 

The  Twilight  of  the  Gods 

ALTHOUGH  Lokewas  bound, 
and  could  do  no  more  harm, 
Balder  could  not  come  back  ;  and  so 
Asgard  was  no  longer  the  heaven  it 
used  to  be.  The  gods  were  there, 
but  the  sunshine  and  the  summer 
had  somehow  lost  their  glory,  and 
were  thenceforth  pale  and  faint.  At 
last  there  came  a  winter  such  as 
neither  man  nor  god  had  ever  seen 
before.  The  days  were  short  and 
dark,  blinding  storms  followed  fast 
upon  each  other  and  left  mountains 
of  snow  behind,  fierce  winds  swept 
the  sky  and  troubled  the  sea,  and  the 
bitter  air  froze  the  very  hearts  of 
men  into  sullen  despair.  The  deep- 
234 


The  Twilight  of  the  Gods 

est  rivers  were  fast  bound,  the  fiercest 
animals  died  in  their  lairs,  there  was 
no  warmth  in  the  sun,  and  even 
the  icy  brightness  of  the  stars  was 
dimmed  by  drifting  snow.  The 
whole  earth  was  buried  in  a  winter 
so  bitter  that  the  gods  shivered  in 
Asgard. 

The  long  nights  and  the  short, 
dark  days  followed  fast  upon  each 
other,  and  as  the  time  drew  near 
when  summer  would  come  again 
men's  hearts  grew  light  with  hope 
once  more.  Each  day  they  looked 
into  the  sullen  skies,  through  which 
clouds  of  snow  were  whirling,  and 
said  to  each  other,  "  To-morrow  the 
summer  will  come ; "  but  when  the 
morrow  came  no  summer  came  with 
it.  And  all  through  the  months 
that  in  other  days  had  been  beautiful 
with  flowers  the  snow  fell  steadily, 
235 


Norse  Stories 

and  the  cold  winds  blew  fiercely, 
while  eyes  grew  sad  and  hearts  heavy 
with  waiting  for  a  summer  that  did 
not  come.  And  it  never  came  again; 
for  this  was  the  terrible  Fimbul-win- 
ter,  long  foretold,  from  which  even 
the  gods  could  not  escape.  In 
Jotunheim  there  was  joy  among  the 
frost-giants  as  they  shouted  to  each 
other  through  the  howling  storms, 
"The  Fimbul-winter  has  come  at 
last."  At  first  men  shuddered  as 
they  whispered,  "  Can  it  be  the 
Fimbul-winter?"  But  when  they 
knew  it  beyond  all  doubting  a  blind 
despair  filled  them,  and  they  were 
reckless  alike  of  good  or  evil.  Over 
the  whole  earth  war  followed  fast 
upon  war,  and  everywhere  there  were 
wrangling  and  fighting  and  murder. 
It  hardly  snowed  fast  enough  to 
cover  the  blood-stains.  Mothers 
236 


The  Twilight  of  the  Gods 

forgot  to  love  their  little  children, 
and  brothers  struck  each  other  down 
as  if  they  were  the  bitterest  enemies. 

Three  years  passed  without  one 
breath  of  the  warm  south  wind  or 
the  blossoming  of  a  single  flower, 
and  three  other  years  darker  and 
colder  succeeded  them.  A  savage 
joy  filled  the  hearts  of  the  frost- 
giants,  and  they  shook  their  clenched 
hands  at  Asgard  as  if  they  had  mas- 
tered the  gods  at  last.  On  the  earth 
there  was  nothing  but  silence  and 
despair,  and  among  the  gods  only 
patient  waiting  for  the  end.  One 
day,  as  the  sun  rose  dim  and  cold, 
a  deep  howl  echoed  through  the  sky, 
and  a  great  wolf  sprang  up  from  the 
underworld  and  leaped  vainly  after  it. 
All  day  long,  through  the  frosty  air, 
that  terrible  cry  was  heard,  and  all 
day  the  giant  wolf  ran  close  behind, 
237 


Norse  Stories 

slowly  gaining  in  the  chase.  At  last, 
as  the  sun  went  down  over  the  snow- 
covered  mountains,  the  wolf,  with  a 
mighty  spring,  reached  and  devoured 
it.  The  glow  upon  the  hills  went 
out  in  blackness ;  it  was  the  last  sun- 
set. Faint  and  colourless  the  moon 
rose,  and  another  howl  rilled  the 
heavens  as  a  second  wolf  sprang 
upon  her  track,  ran  swiftly  behind, 
and  devoured  her  also.  Then  came 
an  awful  darkness  over  all  as,  one  by 
one,  the  stars  fell  from  heaven,  and 
blackness  and  whirling  snow  wrapped 
all  things  in  their  folds.  The  end 
had  come ;  the  last  great  battle  was 
to  be  fought;  Ragnarok,  the  Twi- 
light of  the  Gods,  was  at  hand. 

Suddenly  a  strange  sound  broke 

in  upon  the  darkness  and  was  heard 

throughout  all  the  worlds  ;  on  a  lofty 

height   the  eagle    Egder   struck   his 

238 


The  Twilight  of  the  Gods 

prophetic  harp.  The  earth  shook, 
mountains  crumbled,  rocks  were  rent, 
and  all  fetters  were  broken.  Loke 
shook  off  his  chains  and  rushed  out 
of  his  cavern,  his  heart  hot  with  hate 
and  burning  with  revenge,  the  terri- 
ble Fenris-wolf  broke  loose,  and  out 
of  the  deep  sea  the  Midgard-serpent 
drew  his  long  folds  toward  the  land, 
lashing  the  water  into  foam  as  he 
passed.  From  every  quarter  the 
enemies  of  the  gods  gathered  for  the 
last  great  battle  on  the  plain  of 
Vigrid,  which  was  a  hundred  miles 
wide  on  each  side.  Thither  came 
the  Fenris-wolf,  his  hungry  jaws 
stretched  so  far  apart  that  they 
reached  from  earth  to  heaven ;  the 
Midgard-serpent,  with  fiery  eyes  and 
pouring  out  floods  of  venom ;  the 
awful  host  of  Hel  with  Loke  at  their 
head ;  the  grim  ranks  of  the  frost- 
239 


Norse  Stories 

giants  marching  behind  Hrym ;  and, 
last  of  all,  the  glittering  fire-giants 
of  Muspelheim,  the  fire-world,  with 
Surt  at  the  front. 

The  long  line  of  enemies  already 
stretched  across  the  plain  when 
Heimdal,  standing  on  the  rainbow 
bridge,  blew  the  Gjallar-horn  to  call 
the  gods.  No  sooner  had  Odin 
heard  the  terrible  call  to  arms  than 
he  mounted  and  rode  swiftly  to 
Mimer's  fountain,  that  he  might 
know  how  to  lead  the  gods  into 
battle.  When  he  came,  the  Norns 
sat  veiled  beneath  the  tree,  silent 
and  idle,  for  their  work  was  done, 
and  Ygdrasil  began  to  quiver  as  if 
its  very  roots  had  been  loosened. 
What  Odin  said  to  Mimer  no  one 
will  ever  know.  He  had  no  sooner 
finished  speaking  than  Heimdal  blew 
a  second  blast,  and  out  of  Asgard 
240 


The  Twilight  of  the  Gods 

the  gods  rode  forth  to  the  last  great 
battle,  the  golden  helmet  and  shining 
armour  of  Odin  leading  the  way. 
There  was  a  momentary  hush  as  the 
two  armies  confronted  each  other, 
and  then  the  awful  fight  began. 
Shouts  of  rage  rose  from  the  frost- 
giants,  and  the  armour  of  the  fire- 
giants  fairly  broke  into  blaze  as  they 
rushed  forward.  The  Fenris-wolf 
howled  wildly,  the  hosts  of  Hel 
grew  dark  and  horrible  with  rage, 
and  the  Midgard-serpent  coiled  its 
scaly  length  to  strike.  But  before 
a  blow  had  been  struck  the  shining 
forms  of  the  gods  were  seen  advanc- 
ing, and  their  battle-cry  rang  strong 
and  clear  across  the  field.  Odin  and 
Thor  started  side  by  side,  but  were 
soon  separated.  Odin  sprang  upon 
the  wolf,  and  after  a  terrible  struggle 
was  devoured.  Thor  singled  out  his 
16  241 


Norse  Stories 

old  enemy,  the  Midgard-serpent, 
and  in  a  furious  combat  slew  him  ; 
but  as  the  monster  died  it  drew  its 
folds  together  with  a  mighty  effort 
and  poured  upon  Thor  such  a  deadly 
flood  of  venom  that  he  fell  back  nine 
paces,  sank  down  and  died.  Frey 
encountered  Surt,  and  because  he 
had  not  the  sword  he  had  given  long 
before  to  Skirner,  could  not  defend 
himself,  and  he  too  was  slain.  The 
dog  Garm  rushed  upon  Tyr,  the 
sword-god,  and  both  were  killed, 
Tyr  missing  the  arm  which  he  lost 
when  the  Fenris-wolf  was  bound. 

And  now  the  battle  was  at  its 
height,  and  over  the  whole  field 
gods,  monsters,  and  giants  were 
fighting  with  the  energy  of  despair. 
Heimdal  and  Loke  met,  struggled, 
and  fell  together,  and  Vidar  rushed 
upon  the  wolf  which  had  devoured 
242 


The  Twilight  of  the  Gods 

Odin,  and  tore  him  limb  from  limb. 
Then  Surt  strode  into  the  middle  of 
the  armies,  and  in  an  awful  pause 
flung  a  flaming  firebrand  among  the 
worlds.  There  was  a  breathless 
hush,  a  sudden  rush  of  air,  a  deadly 
heat,  and  the  whole  universe  burst 
into  blaze.  A  roaring  flame  filled 
all  space  and  devoured  all  worlds, 
Ygdrasil  fell  in  ashes,  the  earth  sank 
beneath  the  sea.  No  sun,  no  moon, 
no  stars,  no  earth,  no  Asgard,  no 
Hel,  no  Jotunheim ;  gods,  giants, 
monsters,  and  men  all  dead  !  Noth- 
ing remained  but  a  vast  abyss  filled 
with  the  moaning  seas,  and  brooded 
over  by  a  pale,  colourless  light.  Rag- 
narok,  the  end  of  all  things,  the 
Twilight  of  the  Gods,  had  come. 


243 


Chapter    XVII 

The  New  Earth 

AGES  came  and  went,  and  there 
was  no  one  to  count  their  years 
as  they  passed ;  starless  and  sunless, 
the  sea  rolled  and  moaned  in  the 
great  abyss  of  space.  How  long 
that  dim  twilight  lasted  no  one  will 
ever  know,  for  who,  save  the  All- 
father,  numbered  the  ages  or  kept 
reckoning  of  their  flight !  Invisible, 
unmoved,  the  eternal  Spirit  who  had 
ruled  over  all  things  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  whose  servants  the  mighti- 
est of  the  gods  had  been,  kept  watch 
over  the  starless  spaces  of  the  uni- 
verse, sowing  in  the  measureless 
furrows  the  seeds  of  a  new  world 
and  a  new  race. 

244 


The  New  Earth 

At  last  the  hour  was  ripe,  and  a 
faint  glow  stole  through  the  dusky 
space  and  spread  itself  over  the  sea. 
It  was  so  dim  at  first  that  the  waves 
were  hardly  coloured  by  it,  but  it 
deepened  and  deepened  until  it  lay 
rose-red  across  the  waters,  and  made 
all  the  upper  air  rich  and  beautiful. 
Moment  by  moment  the  sky  kindled 
and  sent  its  new  glory  deep  into  the 
heart  of  the  sea,  until  at  last,  though 
there  was  no  song  to  welcome  it,  no 
grateful  eyes  of  men  and  women  to 
watch  its  coming,  a  new  sun  stood 
at  the  threshold  of  a  new  day  and 
filled  the  hollow  heavens  and  the 
great  deep  with  light  and  warmth. 
All  day  the  splendour  of  the  new 
time  bathed  air  and  water  in  its 
glow,  and  when  the  sun  sank  at  last 
in  the  west,  and  the  old  darkness  be- 
245 


Norse  Stories 

gan  to  steal  back  again,  one  by  one 
the  stars  found  their  places  and  set 
their  silver  lamps  swinging  in  the 
restless  waves. 

Day  followed  day,  and  night  fol- 
lowed night,  and  yet  sun  and  stars 
looked  down  on  a  wide  waste  of  waters. 
But  there  came  a  day  at  last  when 
the  waters  were  parted  by  a  point  of 
land,  and  hour  by  hour  it  widened 
as  a  new  earth  rose  fresh  and  beauti- 
ful out  of  the  depths  of  the  sea. 
Over  it  the  sun  poured  such  a  glow 
of  warmth  that  life  stirred  under 
every  sod ;  trees  shot  from  the  rich 
soil  and  made  new  forests  for  the 
wind  to  play  upon ;  the  grass  spread 
itself  softly  over  the  barren  places, 
and  with  deft  fingers  wove  a  garment 
for  the  whole  earth  ;  flowers  bloomed 
along  the  hillsides  and  opened  their 
246 


The  New  Earth 

fragrant  leaves  deep  in  the  forests ; 
birds  broke  the  stillness  of  the  woods 
and  made  circles  of  song  in  the  upper 
air;  the  rivers  flowed  on  silently  to 
the  sea ;  the  fjords  caught  once 
more  the  shadows  of  the  mountains  ; 
and  the  waterfalls  were  white  with 
foam  of  rushing  streams. 

And  when  all  was  ready,  and  the 
blue  sky  once  more  overarched  a 
world  of  peace  and  joy  and  fruitful 
fields,  Balder  came  back  more  fair 
and  beautiful  than  in  the  old  days  at 
Asgard.  With  him  came  his  brother 
Hoder,  who  had  killed  him,  and 
they  were  not  long  alone  ;  for  one  by 
one  Hoener,  Vidar,  and  Vale  rejoined 
them.  The  flame  had  not  touched 
so  much  as  the  hem  of  their  gar- 
ments, nor  had  the  floods  destroyed 
them.  Thor's  work  was  done,  but 
247 


Norse  Stories 

his  sons,  Magne  and  Mode,  brought 
back  to  earth  the  wonderful  hammer 
which  had  so  often  flashed  over  frost- 
giants  and  rung  in  their  ears.  More 
wonderful  than  all,  out  of  Mimer's 
forest,  where  the  fountain  of  memory 
once  stood,  and  through  which  the 
feet  of  Odin  had  so  often  gone  in 
search  of  knowledge,  came  Lifthraser 
and  Lif,  the  one  man  and  woman 
who  had  escaped  the  ruin  of  the 
world.  And  they  drank  the  dew  of 
the  morning  and  grew  strong  and 
beautiful.  They  plucked  the  sweet 
new  flowers  and  turned  the  furrows 
of  the  fresh  earth,  and  the  harvests 
waved  for  them  abundantly  in  all  the 
future  years  until  their  children  and 
their  children's  children  filled  the 
whole  earth. 

The    beautiful    plain    of    Ida   lay 
248 


The  New  Earth 

green  and  bright  all  the  year  and 
bordered  with  perennial  flowers  as 
the  suns  circled  around  it ;  and  the 
gods  were  at  peace  at  last.  No 
frost-giants  invaded  the  new  heaven 
or  darkened  the  new  earth.  Through 
the  long  bright  days  Balder  and 
Hoder  often  sat  together  and  talked 
of  the  olden  time,  of  the  Midgard- 
serpent,  and  the  wolf  Fenrer,  and  of 
Loke's  misdoings.  Through  earth 
and  heaven  there  was  unbroken 
rest ;  for  often  when  the  gods  met 
to  take  counsel  together  the  voice  of 
the  unseen  All-father  spoke  to  them 
with  infinite  wisdom,  appeasing  quar- 
rels, pronouncing  judgment,  and  es- 
tablishing peace  for  ever  and  ever. 
And  so  through  all  the  ages  the  new 
world  will  move  to  the  end.  Trees 
will  wave,  flowers  bloom,  stars  shine, 
249 


Norse  Stories 

rivers  flow,  men  toil  and  reap  in  the 
fruitful  fields,  the  gods  look  lovingly 
down  from  the  plain  of  Ida  upon 
their  labours ;  for  the  hand  of  the 
great  All-father  will  lift  men  through 
obedience  and  industry  to  himself. 


250 


A     000160575     7 


